JNUSU gets its first Dalit president from Left after nearly three decades

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) on Sunday 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 election, defeating its nearest rival the RSS-affiliated ABVP.

In the polls that happened 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.

Speaking to PTI after the win, 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. Red, white and blue flags were waved by the students to celebrate the victory of the candidates.

Avijit Ghosh from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) trounced ABVP's Deepika Sharma by 927 votes to win the vice-president's post. 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's by defeating ABVP's Arjun Anand by 926 votes. Arya polled in 2,887 votes while 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.

With the Left panel sweeping the polls, the JNU lived up to its reputation of being a Left bastion. The ABVP gave a neck-and-neck fight and was leading on all the four central panel posts in the initial trends.

The United Left panel comprises AISA, Democratic Students' Federation (DSF), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF).

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union polls on Friday witnessed a voter turnout of 73 per cent, highest in the last 12 years.