JNUSU gets first Dalit prez since 1996
The United Left panel on Sunday effected a clean sweep in the JNUSU elections, defeating its nearest rival the RSS-affiliated ABVP.
Newly elected JNUSU president Dhananjay (pink kurta) with other AISA members and supporters celebrate his win
NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) has elected its first Dalit president from the Left-backed groups after nearly three decades.
The United Left panel on Sunday effected a clean sweep in the JNUSU elections, defeating its nearest rival the RSS-affiliated ABVP.
In the polls that were held after a hiatus of four years, Dhananjay from the All India Students’ Association (AISA) won the JNUSU president’s post by securing 2,598 votes against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) Umesh C Ajmeera, who secured 1,676 votes.
Dhananjay hails from Gaya, Bihar and is the first Dalit president from the Left after Batti Lal Bairwa, who was elected in 1996-97.
Dhananjay said, “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,” he added.
Amid cries of ‘Lal Salaam’ and ‘Jai Bhim’, the winning students were hailed by their supporters, who waved red, white and blue flags to celebrate.
Avijit Ghosh from the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) defeated ABVP’s Deepika Sharma by 927 votes to win the vice-president’s post. Ghosh received 2,409 votes as against Sharma’s 1,482.
Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA) candidate Priyanshi Arya, who was supported by the Left, won the general secretary’s post by defeating ABVP’s Arjun Anand by 926 votes. Arya got 2,887 votes while Anand received 1,961.
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.
