KANNUR: With modern election campaign techniques including the use of social media, audio and video albums, digital posters etc, College Union election campaigns are in full swing in Kannur and Kasargod districts as over 100 colleges affiliated to Kannur University would go for polls on Wednesday. Although voters have been traditionally lenient to the SFI in most of the campuses, they are also being lured by the KSU and ABVP which are fighting hard to make their presence felt in their strongholds.
Apart from traditional campaigning, the use of social media is intense in the election campaigns, says a teacher in charge of the election. “Through Facebook pages and Whatsapp groups, well planned campaigns are conducted by the students unions. Often these campaigns are used to tarnish the opponents personally which is the bad part of it,|” the teacher added. However, direct campaigning is not so active because of continuous holidays. Soon after the elections, the colleges would close for Onam vacations.
While the SFI is confident of sweeping the elections, the KSU and the ABVP are accusing the SFI of using violence and threats to win seats. As the new committees were formed recently, the KSU is yet to make an organised effort in election campaigns. “The new committees took charge a few months back. We have that drawback in the elections, but we are fighting despite the SFI’s aggressive campaigns,” said KSU state president K.M. Abhijith.
It is learnt that in over 20 colleges, the SFI had won without any opposition whereas the main opponent is KSU in a majority of the colleges. In some colleges, the KSU is contesting together with the MSF. ABVP is also campaigning strongly in their pockets. Speaking to DC, Kannur University Pro Vice Chancellor Dr T. Asokan said that all arrangements had been made for the smooth conduct of the college union elections. “Apart from government colleges, aided/unaided colleges and BEd colleges, university teaching departments in the five campuses are also conducting the union elections on the same day,” he said. In some colleges like Mattannur PRNSS College, the parliamentary model of election is being conducted unlike the normal presidential model elections,” added Students Services Director M.V. Padmanabhan.
