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Kerala social body dispute ends after panel’s re-election

ABU DHABI — The two-month-long drama and suspense over the Kerala Social Centre elections has finally ended with the earlier winning panel returning to power again in the second round of elections conducted last week.

The official panel led by N.V. Mohanan drew a blank as the K.B. Murali-led team made a clean sweep by winning 11 of the 13 seats.

This year's elections to the KSC managing committee ran into controversy as the official panel members accused their opponents of mismanaging election procedures after the latter achieved an astounding victory over the former in the January 23 mandate.

Members of the official panel had voiced their opposition to the inclusion of an extra 185 members who had not renewed their membership before the last date for its renewal, thus swelling the original voters list from 441 to 626.

The two-month long theatrics, characterised by controversial claims, counter-claims, and mud slinging by both the parties in the fray, finally came to an end when the winning panel agreed to a re-election.

Despite dropping the names of the controversial 185 members from the voters list in the re-election conducted on April 4, under the direct supervision of the labour authorities, K.B. Murali and his panel had the last laugh.

Out of the 26 contestants, Murali clinched the first position with 160 votes while the official candidate and president of Shakti Theatres was relegated to the 25th position with 98 votes.

Other winners form Murali's panel include, N.H. Salim (156 votes), Shanavas. P.K (144), Siyad A. L. (136), Abdul Sathar (146), Musthaq H. S. (136), Mamman K. Rajan (142), Dinarajan T.C. (141), K.V. Udaya Shankar (145), T.V.A Bakkar (138) and Shameer K.M. (137).

Hari A. (142) and Naseer Ahamed (136) are the two winners from the official group which contested the polls.

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