Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 23 December 2025
The Delegate Session of the 10th Andaman & Nicobar State Conference of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) was held on December 21, 2025 at the Kerala Samajam Hall, Sri Vijaya Puram.
The conference began with the hoisting of the CITU flag by R. Surendran Pillai, President, CITU Andaman & Nicobar State Committee. Floral tributes were paid at the Martyrs’ Memorial Column erected at the venue by Dr. K. Hemalata, All India President, CITU, along with delegates and observers.
A presidium comprising R. Surendran Pillai, D. Ayyappan, B. C. Bhattacharjee and Daniel Aint was elected to conduct the Delegate Session. A condolence resolution, moved by S. P. Kalairajan, paid homage to leaders and workers who passed away since the previous State Conference held in November 2022.
Inaugurating the Delegate Session, Dr. K. Hemalata stated that the Central government had enacted new Labour Codes, which, according to CITU, reduced regulatory oversight over employers. She called upon trade union leaders and members in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to mobilise workers in both government and private sectors for nationwide agitations proposed in the coming months against the Labour Codes.
Dr. Hemalata also referred to CITU’s opposition to labour-related policies introduced since 1991 and emphasised the need to create awareness among workers regarding issues faced by the working class.
B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary, CITU State Committee, presented the report on the functioning of CITU and affiliated unions since the last State Conference. Anand Rajan presented the audited accounts. Fifteen delegates from various unions participated in the discussion on the General Secretary’s report, which was subsequently adopted unanimously.
Dr. Gouranga Majhi, President, Andaman & Nicobar State Committee of the All India Kisan Sabha, and Suresh Lall, General Secretary, Government Pensioners Association, greeted the delegates. Resolutions on various issues were moved by D. Ayyappan, S. P. Kalairajan, R. Rajendran, P. Sathyapal and M. Yugander, and were passed by the Delegate Session. E. A. Johnson, Convener of the Credential Committee, presented the Credential Report.
The Delegate Session elected the new State Committee of CITU. It also elected B. Chandrachoodan and S. P. Kalairajan as delegates from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to attend the 18th All India Conference of CITU scheduled to be held at Visakhapatnam from December 31, 2025 to January 4, 2026. (Story Based on PR)
