JNUSU elections: In a resounding victory, the Left party has secured all four seats in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students' Union Election. The polling, which took place on March 22, marked the reemergence of a students' union in JNU after a four-year hiatus. Notably, the JNUSU also elected its first Dalit president from the Left-backed groups after nearly three decades. The JNUSU polls witnessed a voter turnout of 73 per cent, highest in the last 12 years.
JNU's new elected students' union:
- Dhananjay (AISA) -- President
- Avijit Ghosh (SFI) -- Vice President
- Priyanshi Arya (BAPSA) -- General Secretary
- Mohammad Sajid (Left) -- Joint Secretary
President Dhananjay wins by 922 votes
Dhananjay, representing the All India Students' Association (AISA), clinched the president's post by securing 2,598 votes, surpassing his opponent Umesh C Ajmeera from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) who secured 1,676 votes. Hailing from Gaya, Bihar, Dhananjay's victory marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first Dalit president from the Left since Batti Lal Bairwa's tenure in 1996-97.
"This victory is a referendum by the students of JNU that they reject the politics of hate and violence. The students have once again shown their trust in us. We will continue to fight for their rights and work on issues that concern students. The safety of women on campus, fund cuts, scholarship hike, infrastructural and water crisis are among the top priorities of the students union to begin with," Dhananjay told news agency PTI after the win.
Vice President Avijit Ghosh wins by 927 votes
Avijit Ghosh from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) trounced ABVP's Deepika Sharma by 927 votes to win the vice-president's post. Ghosh received 2,409 votes as against 1,482 votes by Sharma.
Left-backed Gen Secretary Priyanshi Arya wins by 926 votes
Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) candidate Priyanshi Arya, who was supported by the Left, won the general secretary post's by defeating ABVP's Arjun Anand by 926 votes. Arya polled in 2,887 votes while Anand received 1961 votes. The United Left extended its support to Arya after the Election Committee cancelled the nomination of its candidate Swati Singh when her candidacy was challenged by the ABVP.
Joint Secy Mohammad Sajid wins by 508 votes
The Left's Mohammad Sajid won the joint secretary's post by defeating ABVP's Govind Dangi by 508 votes. His was the lowest victory margin among all the four winners.
Left's dominance in JNUSU polls
Amidst chants of 'Lal Salaam' and 'Jai Bhim', victorious students were greeted with enthusiasm by their supporters. Flags in red, white, and blue were waved by students to commemorate the success of their chosen candidates. The dominance of the Left panel in the polls reaffirmed JNU's status as a stronghold of leftist ideology. While the ABVP initially posed a strong challenge, ultimately, the Left emerged victorious on all four central panel posts. The United Left panel comprises AISA, Democratic Students' Federation (DSF), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF).
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