Nearly 80 NSUI leaders in Dakshina Kannada quit posts over ticket denial to Mithun Rai

coastaldigest.com news network

April 18, 2018

Mangaluru, Apr 18: The resignation spree among the new generation of the Congress leaders has continued in Dakshina Kannada over the ticket denial to the Youth Congress’ district president Mithun Rai.

Two days after several youth Congress office bearers from all eight constituencies of Dakshina Kannada resigned en masse, nearly 80 office bearers of the district unit of National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students wing of the party, have tendered their resignations to their posts on Wednesday.

Interestingly, Mithun Rai, who was an aspirant of Congress ticket from Mulki-Moodbidri constituency, has not uttered a word after the party issued ticket to incumbent MLA Abhaychandra Jain, who in fact had earlier promised to vacate the seat for youngsters.

NSUI State General Secretary Roopesh Rai told media persons in the city on Wednesday that NSUI office-bearers of Dakshina Kannada district along with office-bearers six NSUI units in colleges tendered their resignation en masse, to the District Congress Committee.

“Mithun Rai has supported us throughout. If the Youth Congress have a strong base in entire Dakshina Kannada district, it is because of an able leader like Mithun Rai. He has helped NSUI to grow and flourish in the district. Rai has been our role model and he is the only person who stood by the students during the time of crises,” he said.

He said: “We have been saddened to know that a leader who started his political career from NSUI has been denied ticket. We all believe that it’s a moral victory if our leader wins, because he will represent students and youth in the Karnataka assembly,” he said and appealed to the party High Command to reconsider the decision.

“We only expected that Mithun Rai be given the ticket. We will abide by the decisions taken by Mithun Rai,” Roopesh Rai added.

In reply to a query on whether mass resignations will amount to anti-party activities, he said: “We only have decided to tender our resignation from NSUI posts and stand by Mithun Rai. We will continue to work for the party as workers.

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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