BHUBANESWAR: The ABVP has registered a historic win at Utkal University even as the BCJD made a clean sweep at Rama Devi Women’s University. The results of the student union elections in the two premier institutions was declared late on Thursday night.
At Utkal University, ABVP’s Abhiram Mishra won the president post while Ayushree Pradhan was elected as general secretary. The ABVP bagged seven of nine posts while Papu Rout, a NSUI-AISF backed candidate, won the vice-president post. The NSUI also secured another post in the university. The BCJD that once had a stronghold on the campus, failed to open its account this time.
The BJD student wing, however, swept the polls at Rama Devi Women’s University where both ABVP and NSUI drew a blank. Results at the university was declared at around 3 am on Friday. Sonali Behera and Arpita Mahapatra won the posts of president and vice-president, while Laxmipriya Biswal from the organisation elected as the general secretary.
Apart from the two key universities, the campus elections saw heavy fight between ABVP and BCJD across all campuses, with the former dominating a majority of colleges and universities. The ABVP leaders claimed victory in 81 per cent campuses across the state.
As per the initial tally, their candidates have won president post in at least eight universities and around 200 colleges. The vice-president and general secretary posts were also won by them in around 200 colleges.
The BCJD also claimed that their candidates emerged victorious in different posts in more than 200 institutions. The NSUI, on the other hand, claimed that it won in at least 40 campuses while its candidates were elected to different posts in another 80 colleges and universities.
The delay in declaration of results at the two key universities in the capital city also triggered a war of words among student organisations, with both BCJD and NSUI accusing the BJP government of using its machinery to favour ABVP.
BCJD state president Ipsita Sahoo said, “The government made every attempt to hijack the student elections. However, students of Rama Devi didn’t allow it to happen.”
NSUI Odisha president Bibhuti Bhusan Mohapatra said the government resorted to ‘vote chori’ attempt in institutions where ABVP candidates were trailing with a lower margin. “At some places, they have even succeeded in declaring the results in their favour,” Mohapatra alleged.
ABVP state secretary for Odisha East Deeptimayee Pratihari, in her address to media, countered saying the elections results made it clear that the students of the state, the Gen Zs, are with their organisation.
