CM Satheesan ‘ignores’ Kerala Students Union chief, sparks rift within Congress

Kochi, July 17 (IANS) A brief moment at a public event in Kochi has once again brought into focus the simmering differences between Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and the Kerala Students Union (KSU) with visuals from the event on Friday adding a fresh chapter to a dispute that has been unfolding over the past few days.

The incident occurred at the Sacred Heart College in Thevara, where both Satheesan and State KSU President Aloysius Xavier attended an event.

After addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister stepped down from the dias and interacted with people before leaving the venue.

Video footage that later surfaced shows Aloysius waiting nearby, apparently hoping to meet Chief Minister Satheesan.

Satheesan, however, walked away without interacting with him.

The episode has attracted attention because it comes against the backdrop of a disagreement over the appointment of government pleaders.

The controversy began after the KSU unit of the Government Law College at Thiruvananthapuram questioned certain appointments.

Responding to the criticism, Satheesan recently asked whether a college unit committee had any role in deciding government pleader appointments, remarks that were viewed by sections of the student organisation as dismissive.

Aloysius subsequently criticised the Chief Minister’s response on social media and sought an appointment to discuss the issue.

According to KSU leaders, the meeting did not materialise.

Responding to the latest episode, Aloysius avoided directly accusing the Chief Minister of deliberately ignoring him. Instead, he reiterated the organisation’s position on the larger issue.

“The politics I have learnt is to smile when I meet those whom I respect. If the Chief Minister did not smile back, I have no answer for that,” he told reporters.

He also said the present Kerala government had been built on the blood and sweat of KSU workers and added that his only mistake was pointing out what he believed was wrong.

At the same time, Aloysius made it clear that he did not view the incident itself as the central issue.

He said he would continue to seek a meeting with the Chief Minister to convey the student organisation’s concerns over the government pleader appointments.

The developments have also triggered debate within the Congress.

Some party leaders have publicly defended the KSU’s right to raise concerns, while others have criticised such statements as weakening the state government.

Complaints have reportedly been submitted to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) against leaders who publicly questioned the Chief Minister’s handling of the issue.

Whether the Thevara episode was an intentional slight or simply an inconsequential moment may remain a matter of interpretation.

What is beyond dispute, however, is that it has once again drawn attention to an unresolved disagreement between Chief Minister Satheesan and the Congress’ student wing, one that neither side appears ready to let fade away.

–IANS

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