In Photos: Celebrations in JNU After Left Parties Sweep Students’ Union Polls

Trouncing BJP’s student wing ABVP, JNU elected Left candidates on three of four key posts.

Trouncing BJP’s student wing ABVP, JNU elected Left-backed candidates on three of the four key posts, including its first Dalit President in 27 years.

(Photo: X/@sfijnuunit)

Slogans of ‘Lal salaam,' and 'Jai Bhim,' echoed in the air of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi on Sunday, 24 March, after the United Left Panel continued to retain its hold over the four-member student union (JNUSU), clinching three posts out of four seats. 

While Dhananjay of All India Students Association (AISA) was elected as the president of the union, Avijit Ghosh was declared Vice President and Mohammed Sajid the Joint Secretary.

Dhananjay belongs to Bihar's Gaya and is JNUSU’s second Dalit president after 27 years.

Of the total 5,656 votes, AISA's Dhananjay secured 2,598 voted. He beat ABVP’s Umesh Chandra Ajmeera by 922 votes.

"This is a win for the students...The students have elected the Left against the fraud & funds being cut by the government," he told news agency ANI. 

Priyanshi Arya from Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA), supported by the Left, won the post of General Secretary. While earlier, the United Left had fielded Swati Singh as its candidate for the post, her nomination was cancelled by the election committee hours before polling.

Following this, the Left alliance urged the students to vote for Arya.

Moreover, Avijit Ghosh from the SFI won the vice president's post with 2,409 votes, and Mo Sajid of AISF won the joint secretary post 2,574 votes.

SFI's Avijit Ghosh was seen celebrating after he won the post of vice-president. He defeated ABVP’s Deepika Sharma.

The elections, which took place after a hiatus of four years saw an intense battle between ABVP and the United Left Alliance — consisting of AISA, SFI, AISF and Democratic Students Federation (DSF). 

The JNU has been a stronghold of the Left parties over the years. However, the ABVP was hoping to change that this year.

Around 5,600 students voted this year, many of whom were first-time voters, The Hindu reported.