JNU Students' Union election sees 58 per cent voter turnout

NEW DELHI: Voting for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) election was held on Friday in the University campus, with the polling taking place in two phases, between 9.30 am to 1 pm and between 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm.

According to sources, voter turnout for the first phase in most polling centres was less than 25 per cent out.

However, by the end of the second phase began, turnout was reported to be 58.69.

In the current polls, almost all of the competing student political wings have fielded women candidates for the presidential post in the Students' Union.

Most of the 8,000 students at the campus believed that the contest is mainly between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the united Left-affiliated student wings.

In the run up to the polls, the seven presidential candidates took out processions, raised slogans and distributed pamphlets among voters.

The results for the students' union election, which has become a sort of ideological battleground between the Left and right wing, will be announced on September 11.

Traditionally a Marxist fiefdom, the University has seen a surge in right wing politics over the last few years.

A leader of the RSS-affiliated ABVP said: "Left wing students are keen about what is happening outside, but they have neglected the University."

Some ABVP members also alleged that the Left has given political colour to every issue.

Meanwhile, students from the Left camp said that the administration had tried suppressing the issue of Najeeb Ahmad's disappearance.

They also alleged that ABVP workers have misbehaved with Muslim students, even threatening to "send them to Pakistan and Syria."

Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been campaigning for AISF and its presidential candidate Aparajitha Raja, said that turnout this year was very low because of various developments in the past two years.

"It may be because of loss of confidence among students, because of various things that had happened, including the Najeeb missing case and seat cuts, in the last two years.

"The outgoing JNUSU, despite fighting against the right wing and seat cuts, was not able to get desired results," Kumar said.