The presidential debate is scheduled on September 6 and the election results will be announced on September 11
The battle lines are drawn for this year's Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) elections with every student political group announcing their candidates for the polls scheduled on September 8.
The major issues raised by the presidential candidates of all the groups, was the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed and the massive seat cut in research courses following the UGC notification 2016.
Three Left groups — All India Students Association (AISA), Students Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Students Federation (DSF) — have joined hands to beat the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The ABVP managed to win a seat after 14 years in JNU.
Interestingly, all the political groups have fielded female candidates for the top post. The left alliance has fielded Geeta Kumari, former student representative in JNU's sexual harassment committee— Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) as its presidential candidate.
In her campaign, Kumari, a second year MPhil student, speaks about the recent cases of "mob lynching," disappearance of Najeeb Ahmed, "shrinking" space for dissent at campus and the MPhil/PhD seat cut.
"Universities are there to provide open space for debate and discussions to students but our RSS-backed Vice Chancellor has been trying to curb that space since the last one year," she said.
Meanwhile, the CPI-affiliated All India Students Federation (AISF) will enter the fray independently, with Aparajitha Raja, daughter of CPI leader and Rajya Sabha MP D Raja, as its presidential candidate.
On being asked why ther AISF chose to contest election independently, she said, "JNU has already witnessed the confusion over alliance in the last one year and now it requires clear and responsible politics."
The ABVP and Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) have fielded Nidhi Tripathi and Vrishnika Singh for the post of president respectively. "We are confident of wining at least two seats this year. The wave of nationalism which is spreading across the country will soon make its way in JNU," Tripathi said.
Meanwhile, Shabana Ali, the candidate representing Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA), which raised the issues of students from "oppressed" communities at the campus, said, "It is high time that students coming from marginalised sections of society raise their own issues rather than letting privileged students speak for them."
But some felt that the existing political parties had done little for JNU. Specially-abled first year MA student at the Russian Center, Md Farooque Alam, is also fielding for the top post independently.
"JNU should come out of this left-right politics and should chose someone who work for students causes and not for political inclinations," Alam said, adding no political party has done anything for physically challenged students on campus.
The presidential debate is scheduled on September 6 and the election results will be announced on September 11.
JNU Elections
Parties in the fray
Coalition: All India Students Association (AISA), Students Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Students Federation (DSF)
Geeta Kumari
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)
Nidhi Tripathi
National Students Union of India
Vrishnika Singh
All India Students Federation (AISF)
Aparajitha Raja
Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA)
Shabana Ali
Independent
Md Farooque Alam
Independent
Gaurav Kumar
Polling: September 8
RESULTS ON SEPT 11
- The presidential debate is scheduled on September 6 and the election results will be announced on September 11.
- A specially-abled first year MA student at the Russian Center, Md Farooque Alam, is also fielding for the top post independently.
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