'Let youngsters come to head the organisation', said 62-year-old Sreekumaran Thampi. He has submitted his nomination to contest for chairmanship of MACTA. He stopped directing films years before had been busy with TV serials for a short period and that too has come to a stop now. He now leads the rebel group in the Malayalam cine technicians association.

MACTA when it formed seven years ago aimed at fraternity among the various sections of people engaged in filmmaking and solving the issues and problems they face. KG George and John Paul were the main organizers of the association. Over the years the association has grown up and become influential.

The office bearers have remained more or less same for the last few years. There was no difference of opinion and it functioned smoothly. But in the last few months the organization faced a split with a few members forming a rebel group in the organization and demanded a change of leader ship. The rebel group accuses misappropriation of funds collected in connection with Baburaj musical night conducted in Calicut two years ago. They accused a group consisting mainly of scriptwriter Ranji Panikkar, KG George, John Paul and others are controlling the organization and the democratic process has failed.

Director Vinayan and Baiju Kottarakkara are the ones leading the rebels in the organization. An observation from one member of the official group cites the activity as one of frustration and of an inferior complex. He points out that quite a few in the group are unsuccessful filmmakers. Some have quit the film scene while some have concentrated in TV production. There is only one Vinayan who proved a box office hit maker.

The official group has fielded KG George, for the chairman ship, Fazil and P G Viswambharan (for Vice chairman), Sibi malayail (Gen Secretary), Shibu Chakravarthy, G S Vijayan, Ramachandra Babu and others. The rebel group has Balu Kiriyath, Ali Akabar, KK Haridas, Baiju Kottarakkara, for the main officer bearer posts. The election is expected to generate a lot of heat and dust. The polling takes place on 29th September.