JNU gets first Dalit student president after 1996, know special things related to Dhananjay

Dhananjay of All India Students Association (AISA) won the post of JNUSU President by securing 2,598 votes. There was 73 percent voting in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union elections held on Friday, which is the highest in the last 12 years.

New Delhi : Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Sunday elected its first Dalit president from the Left-backed group after almost three decades. The United Left Panel on Sunday defeated its nearest rival Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on all posts in the JNUSU elections. In the elections held after a gap of four years, All India Students Association (AISA)’s Dhananjay won the post of JNUSU president by securing 2,598 votes, while ABVP’s Umesh C Ajmeera secured 1,676 votes.

Dhananjay is a resident of Gaya, Bihar and has been elected the first Dalit president of the student union of this university from the Left after Batti Lal Bairwa. Bairava was elected president of the student union in 1996-97. After the victory, Dhananjay said, “This victory is a referendum of JNU students that they reject the politics of hatred and violence. We will continue to fight for their rights and work on issues related to students. “Safety of women on campus, funding cuts, scholarship increase, infrastructure and water crisis have been among the top priorities of the student union since its inception.”

The winning students were welcomed by their supporters amid slogans of ‘Lal Salaam’ and ‘Jai Bhim’. Students waved red, white and blue flags to celebrate the victory of the candidates. Avijit Ghosh of Students Federation of India (SFI) won the post of Vice President by defeating Deepika Sharma of ABVP by 927 votes. Ghosh got 2,409 votes, while Sharma got 1,482 votes.

Left-backed Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) candidate Priyanshi Arya won the post of general secretary, defeating ABVP’s Arjun Anand by 926 votes. Arya got 2,887 votes while Anand had to be content with 1961 votes. The United Left had extended its support to Arya after the Election Committee canceled the nomination of its candidate Swati Singh as her candidature was challenged by the ABVP.

Mohammad Sajid of Left group won the post of Joint Secretary by defeating Govind Dangi of ABVP by 508 votes. Sajid’s victory margin is the least among the four posts. With the victory in the elections, the Left hoisted its flag in JNU. ABVP gave a tough fight and in the initial trends had won all the four posts of the central panel.

The United Left Panel includes AISA, Democratic Students Federation (DSF), Students Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Federation (AISF). A total of 19 candidates were in the fray for the central panel of JNUSU. At the same time, 42 people were trying their luck for the post of school councilor. There was a contest between eight candidates for the post of Student Union President. There was 73 percent voting in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union elections held on Friday, which is the highest in the last 12 years.

Courtesy: NDTV

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