The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) on Sunday got iits first Dalit president from the Left-backed groups after nearly three decades, defeating its nearest rival the RSS-affiliated ABVP.
In the student union elections, that happened after 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 managed to bag 1,676 votes.
Left-backed groups like the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) contested the elections in alliance against ABVP.
Who Is Dhananjay, The New JNUSU President
Dhananjay hails from Bihar's Gaya and is the first Dalit president from the Left after Batti Lal Bairwa, who was elected in 1996-97.
Dhananjay is a PhD student from the School of Arts and Aesthetics.
"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," news agency PTI quoted Dhananjay as saying.
"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 said after the win.
Other Winners Of JNUSU Polls
Avijit Ghosh from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) defeated ABVP's Deepika Sharma by 927 votes to win the vice-president's post. Avijit Ghosh received 2,409 votes as against 1,482 votes by Sharma.
Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) candidate Priyanshi Arya, who was supported by the Left, won the general secretary post by defeating ABVP's Arjun Anand by 926 votes. Priyanshi Arya polled in 2,887 votes while Arjun 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.
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 among all the four winners.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union polls on Friday witnessed a voter turnout of 73 per cent, highest in the last 12 years. With the Left panel sweeping the polls, the JNU lived up to its reputation of being a Left bastion.
The last JNUSU polls held in 2019 were swept by Left-backed groups which comprised AISA, SFI, DFS, and AISF.
