DELHI, INDIA – The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) elections for 2024-2025 have concluded, revealing a complex political landscape where the Left alliance maintained its dominance in the central panel, while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) achieved a historic resurgence.
The Left alliance, comprising the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), secured three of the four key positions. Nitish Kumar (AISA) was elected president, Manisha (DSF) vice-president, and Munteha Fatima (DSF) general secretary. However, the ABVP’s Vaibhav Meena’s victory in the joint secretary race marked the end of a decade-long drought for the right-wing student organization.
Key Election Results:
- President: Nitish Kumar (AISA) – Winner (Margin of victory was relatively close, but exact figures were not provided by the source)
- Vice-President: Manisha (DSF) – Winner (Margin of victory was relatively close, but exact figures were not provided by the source)
- General Secretary: Munteha Fatima (DSF) – Winner (Margin of victory was relatively close, but exact figures were not provided by the source)
- Joint Secretary: Vaibhav Meena (ABVP) – Winner
The ABVP’s performance was particularly noteworthy. While they did not secure the top three positions, the margins of defeat were significantly narrow, signaling a growing challenge to the Left’s long-standing hegemony.
Councilor Elections: A Historic Shift
The ABVP achieved a landmark victory in the councilor elections, winning 23 out of 42 seats, their strongest showing since 1999. This represents a substantial shift in the campus’s political dynamics. The ABVP also made significant gains in key academic centers, including:
- School of Social Sciences
- School of International Studies
- School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies
- School of Engineering.
Election Turnout and Context:
- The elections, delayed due to campus unrest, were held on April 25th.
- The voter turnout was approximately 70% of the student population.
- The contest was a four-cornered fight between the AISA-DSF alliance, ABVP, and the NSUI-Fraternity coalition.
- Total amount of voters was over 5,500 students.
Statements and Reactions:
- Vaibhav Meena (ABVP): “We have won this after a decade, and in the next election, ABVP will win all four seats.”
- Munteha Fatima (DSF): “We must oppose the privatization and centralization of education. We’re going to keep fighting for students’ rights.”
- Manisha (DSF): “The credit for this win goes to the university…We have always advocated for the kids and given them a voice, and we will keep doing so in the future.”
- Nitish Kumar (AISA): “Funds on this campus are being cut continuously…We’ll struggle to get government funding. The damaged infrastructure will be restored, and JNU’s entrance test format will be updated. There is and will continue to be a left-wing movement on this campus.”
Analysis:
The JNUSU elections reflect a shifting political landscape on campus. While the Left alliance retained control of the central panel, the ABVP’s significant gains, particularly in the councilor elections, indicate a growing challenge to their dominance. The close margins of victory in the central panel elections underscore this changing dynamic. The increased support for the ABVP shows a change in the student body, and may indicate a change in the national political climate being reflected in the university.
