NEW DELHI: After failing to make a significant impact in the central panel this year, the Students Federation of India (SFI) issued a statement attributing the JNUSU results to a fragmented opposition to the ABVP. The SFI emphasised the need for a stronger unity among Left and progressive forces to eliminate the ABVP from the varsity.
Aishe Ghosh, Secretary of SFI Delhi, explained, “The two biggest progressive student organisations, SFI and AISA, contesting from different panels, led to a split in votes, reducing the margin of victory in the central panel.” Meanwhile, Sooraj Elamon, President of SFI Delhi, reiterated that the SFI has always been committed to forging unity against the ABVP-Admin nexus to protect Jawaharlal Nehru University from the Hindutva-Corporate onslaught on public education.
Elamon further highlighted SFI’s successes, saying, “SFI won four council positions, with the highest votes in the School of Languages and the School of Arts and Aesthetics, where Ajaypal and Krishnapriya secured 488 and 66 votes respectively. We also triumphed in the School of Biotechnology and the School of Physical Sciences, with Comrade Pratibha winning unopposed and Comrade Abhishek securing second place with 121 votes.”
Elamon stressed that the support for progressive values was clear, pointing out that ABVP has failed to increase its vote share since the last elections. He added, “It is the failure to build a united struggle that paved the way for ABVP’s victory. We hope left and progressive forces will learn from this and forge stronger unity inside and outside the council to lead the student resistance against the NEP, privatisation, centralisation, and communalisation of education.”
Historically, JNU’s left-wing student organisations—AISA, SFI, DSF, and AISF—dominated JNUSU polls from 2016 to 2019. However, SFI’s dominance in JNU politics has fluctuated, peaking in 2006-2007 and diminishing by 2014. Last year, these left organisations had fought together with the left parties making a clean sweep.
Left-wing dominated for 3 years
JNU’s left-wing student organisations —AISA, SFI, DSF, and AISF—dominated JNUSU polls from 2016 to 2019. However, SFI’s dominance in JNU politics has fluctuated, peaking in 2006-2007 and diminishing by 2014.