If figures are to be believed, then the CPM and the SFI are gradually losing ground in most school managing committees and college unions respectively.

In Midnapore, SFI recently lost the union polls in Bajkul College where they had been in power last year. In Taki Government College, SFI lost to the Chattra Parishad after more than a decade this year. Similar is the case in Masat College, Nandigram College, Dinhata College and Nalhati College.They where washed out in Jadavpur arts faculty after more than 15 years.

“This is a new trend. After Nandigram, we have defeated them in many colleges where they had been winning continuously for decades,” said Saurabh chakraborty, state president Chattra parishad.

In the Bahiri school management committee election, for example, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the Trinamool Congress and the PDCI joined hands to rout the CPM. In Dinhata, in Coochbehar, and many other places in Midnapaore, the Trinamool Congress, Congress, Forward Bloc, and SUCI have joined hands to defeat the CPM.

SFI state president, Sudip Sengupta said the student’s federation was doing rather well. “We did much better in Presidency College this time and more than 70 per cent colleges in Kolkata are dominated by us,” he added.

“Except Silda College and Sobang College, we are dominating all other colleges in West Midnapore. We are confident that we will win the union polls in Scottish Church and Jadavpur University,” he said. After Nandigram, students are supporting us, as they have understood the need for industrialization, he added.

Data provided by the SFI shows that the CPM-backed union holds unions in more than 80 per cent of the state’s total colleges. Of the total 433 colleges in various districts, SFI unions dominate 348 colleges. “It is true SFI has won in many colleges but most elections were won by terrorising students,” says Shubhrata Gouri, vice president, AIDSO, All India committee.