JNU polls: Students vote amid anti-incumbency wave

Ananya Panda 

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, September 11

Amid a strong anti-incumbency wave against the ultra-Left's All India Students' Association (AISF), the mood of students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) today largely reflected a pick between the other two Left forces-All India Students Federation (AISF) backed by CPI and CPI (M)'s Students Federation of India (SFI) though the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) too hopes to make it to the top. 

With the voting at JNU starting after the scheduled time (10 am), students were seen dropping in gradually at five centres to elect the new top panel and 31 councillors of 11 schools. The momentum picked up as songs and sounds of 'daflis' echoed with the queues as anticipated becoming long in the second half especially at the School of Languages while the crowd at School of Social Sciences seemed to be less than normal-in a way suggestive of the decline in JNU's polling percentage--over 53 per cent as compared to last year's 55 per cent, as declared by the JNU Election Committee. 

A major section of students who voted appeared disenchanted with the sitting panel of AISA, saying it has done little when it comes to campus issues and what perhaps upsets them the most is the long-pending "hostel crisis". 

Neeraj, a PhD first year scholar of School of Social Sciences (SSS), viewed, AISA has been on a strong footing but has not been able to deliver and this time SFI looks to be at better position but the emergence of Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA), which represents the interests of the reserved categories, could influence its vote-share. 

A visually impaired PhD first year student Pragya Deora, pointed out that none of the political outfits have acknowledged the role and concerns of the section concerned. "Ideology is at one place but basic concerns, including that of hygiene and sanitation, drinking water and nuisance due to stray dogs, have to be addressed. Stray dogs have been a big threat to the blind section and sterilisation may not be that helpful, but no party has taken a stand," said Pragya, member of JNU's Access to Higher Education for Persons with Special Needs. 

DUSU polls 

Excited students lined up in queues, many with their selfie sticks, while policemen dotted the roads of the campuses carpeted with pamphlets during polling today for Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections across 42 colleges.

However, the day was not just a photo-op for them, the informed voters had their agendas clear for choosing the candidate accordingly.

Rollback of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and demands of a compact campus seemed to be on top priority of voters. (PTI)