In Kerala Polls, Friend Of Kanhaiya, Rohith Vemula 'Reincarnate'

Pattambi, Kerala: He says he is the "reincarnation" of Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula; catapulted from the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus to the election battleground in Kerala, Mohd Muhsin's pitch starts with this statement.

A PhD scholar himself and close friend of JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, the 30-year-old is the Communist Party of India or CPI's candidate in Pattambi, Kerala for next month's assembly elections.

Drawing parallels with Mr Vemula, whose suicide in January fuelled protests against the Centre, Muhsin says if he wins, he will "talk for those students, children, people who are socially and economically deprived".
 His PhD dissertation is due in July. Responding to criticism that students like him are using taxpayers' money to fund political ambitions, rather than study, Mushin argues there is no difference. "Politics is part of study. We are studying for society, we are studying for our right, for our freedom, after all," he said.

Pattambi, Muhsin's hometown, is hallowed ground for Kerala's Left parties. Two of its tallest leaders - EMS Namboodiripad and EP Gopalan were from here and Muhsin has to live up to their legacy as he runs his election campaign.
 As the BJP takes on Kerala's Congress and Left parties on corruption, political violence and everything in between, choosing candidates like Muhsin indicates a bid by the Left to telescope the national debate on tolerance and patriotism into a society known for its broadly liberal, secular approach to politics and thereby dent the BJP's campaign.

On the other side, weighed down by corruption allegations and anti-incumbency the Congress-led United Democratic Front or UDF will have a tough campaign to fight. The party's decision to give tainted ministers tickets to contest again has also been attacked vociferously by its opponents.