What went right for ABVP, what didn't for Left at JNU
Last year, the margins were significantly wider when AISA, SFI, AISF and DSF contested together under a single banner, with the difference between the United Left's presidential candidate and ABVP's being 982 votes, that for vice-president being 755 votes, for general secretary 998 votes and for joint secretary, 397 votes. NOTA votes rose from 894 last year to 1,023 this year, indicating some illusion with the student political groups.
You Can Also Check:
Delhi AQI
|
Weather in Delhi
|
Bank Holidays in Delhi
|
Public Holidays in Delhi
A closer look at the results reveals that the split in the Left, with SFI forming a separate alliance with a faction of BAPSA, AISF and PSA, critically fractured the anti-ABVP vote. Had the Left fought unitedly, it would have secured not only more comfortable victories but also not lost the one seat to ABVP. SFI-BAPSA's presidential candidate Tayabba secured 918 votes, while its general secretary nominee Ramnivas collected 675 votes — numbers that, when added to the United Left's tally, would have widened the margin with ABVP substantially.
Nevertheless, ABVP's performance cannot be understated. If its claims to winning nearly half of the councillor seats is true, there could be a tangible shift in JNU's campus politics. United Left has refuted the claim, however, accusing ABVP of inflating its numbers by including independent candidates in its tally. It wasn't just the sciences and management schools —traditional ABVP strongholds — that tilted in its favour. ABVP's victories in Left-dominated School of International Studies and School of Social Sciences, where they secured four of 10 cumulative seats, signifies a rise.
The last time the RSS-affiliated student organisation won a central post in JNUSU was in 2016. Since then, the Left has dominated fully. One reason for the changing power dynamic shown by the 2025 polls is the evolving student demographics. Since JNU adopted CUET, the centralised entrance exam system, the incoming student batches are often seen as less ideologically driven and more diverse in their backgrounds. Many of them do not align with Left politics, creating a condition for ABVP to cash in. Another important factor was ABVP's ability to navigate the internal divisions within the Left.
Also, the Northeast factor played a significant role this year. Disillusioned by what they perceived as inadequate representation by both Left and right outfits, the Northeast students fielded their own independent presidential candidate, Yari Nayam. They had felt let down after the Barak Hostel, which they claimed was exclusively built for Northeast students, was opened up for others. In the event, Nayam secured 1,184 votes — a considerable number.
The central panel election results underline the new competitiveness: ABVP's Vaibhav secured a thin win for joint secretary, having got 1,518 votes to PSA's Nigam who polled 1,256. The 85-vote margin showed how close the race was and how the fragmented Left votes benefited ABVP.
The fresher batch's arrival also played a crucial role. New students, less tied to older ideological loyalties and more focused on practical campus issues, proved to be swing voters. Their preference for alternatives to the traditional Left likely bolstered ABVP's numbers, not only in the central panel but also in councillor elections.
The
2025 JNUSU elections
signal a big shift in JNU's political landscape. While the Left has retained key posts, its once-unassailable grip on the student union's power structure was shown as weakened. ABVP's rise, fuelled by fresh demographics, internal fractures in the Left and a more competitive electoral field, seems to mark the beginning of more equal contests in the university.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Priyank Kharge slams BJP MLC
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge launched a scathing attack on BJP MLC N. Ravikumar for his alleged derogatory remarks against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, saying such comments reflected the misogynistic ideology espoused in the Manusmriti. 'Ravikumar is not BJP man originally. He is a product of the RSS shakha. The RSS has never believed in the Indian Constitution — it believes in the Manusmriti, a text that has historically denigrated women,' Mr. Priyank told reporters at a press conference held at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Kalaburagi on July 4. Referring to past incidents, Mr. Priyank recalled that Mr. Ravikumar had earlier made objectionable comments about the Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner. 'The court asked him to apologise in that case, but he hasn't done it so far. That only shows he stands by his remarks. Now he made derogatory remarks against Chief Secretary' in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Vidhana Soudha premises. His is dirty mind, dirty brain and dirty tongue. It is the result of training he got in RSS. This is what happens when people who should be receiving psychiatric care are sent to the Legislative Council,' he said. When asked about Mr. Ravikumar's statement that he would hang himself if proven guilty of making derogatory remarks against the Chief Secretary, Mr. Priyank responded bluntly: 'Give him a rope.' Mr. Priyank also took aim at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), challenging it to list just ten contributions it has made toward nation-building, economic equity, or social unity. 'The RSS is constructing its office with ₹300–400 crore. Where is that money coming from? If we get a majority in Parliament, we will deploy the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate to investigate. If we get that power from the people, we will act against any organization which is against our Constitution, tries to break the unity of our nation, instigates conflicts between castes and sow the poisonous seed of communalism to instigate communal clashes. It is in the interest of the country,' he said. Responding to recent remarks by RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale calling for the removal of the words 'secularism' and 'socialism' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, Mr. Priyank pointed to four landmark Supreme Court judgments, including the S.R. Bommai case, that uphold these principles. 'Let alone Indian Constitution, which the BJP people have hardly read, even BJP constitution has 'secular' and 'socialist' words in its Article 2. Let the RSS leaders tell their BJP followers to remove them from their party constitution,' he said. On a broader historical note, the Minister accused the RSS of never participating in India's freedom movement. 'Did they raise slogans like 'Simon Go Back'? Did they participate in the Quit India Movement or the Dandi March? Which Round Table Conference had they participated in? While the Constituent Assembly was framing the Constitution, RSS activists staged 150 protests in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan demanding the Manusmriti be adopted instead. They even opposed Subhash Chandra Bose's call to join the Indian National Army and instead encouraged youth to join the British Army. And let's not forget Savarkar's multiple clemency pleas to the British and the pension he received from British government,' Mr. Priyank said.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Original Preamble in focus, how the socialist-secular debate played out in recent years
Over the past week, several BJP leaders have spoken about revisiting the inclusion of the word 'secular' in the Preamble to the Constitution during the Emergency, pointing out that the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were not part of the original founding document. This has brought to the fore the question of whether these words should continue to remain in the Preamble, a question first raised by RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale last week. Following Hosabale's comments, BJP leaders and Union Ministers such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jitendra Singh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and even Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar have waded into the debate. In the past decade, this debate has prominently come up twice, with the Opposition accusing the government of trying to omit the words from the Preamble. On January 26, 2015, newspaper advertisements issued by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry had a backdrop with the Preamble stating, 'We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Democratic Republic…' This was the original Preamble and not the current one that was changed through the 42nd Amendment in 1976, and reads, 'We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic…' The advertisement drew flak from the Opposition, with Congress leader Manish Tewari saying that 'stifling and trampling' the Constitution was an 'unforgivable sacrilege'. 'The Constitution of India, as it stands today, is very clear that India would be a Sovereign Democratic Secular and Socialist Republic … Action should be taken against the officers involved and the minister should explain how it has happened,' he said. A month later, then Union Minister Arun Jaitley told the Rajya Sabha that the representation was from the original Constitution and was aimed at honouring the founding fathers without any malafide intentions. 'The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) annually issues print advertisements to all empanelled publications on Republic Day to commemorate the date and the moment when India became a Republic by adopting the Constitution. This year also a similar practice was followed and six different designs were given to all the empanelled publications. In one of the advertisement designs issued, the photograph of the original calligraphic representation of the Preamble to the Constitution has been used in the background as a water-mark for enhancing the aesthetic and artistic value,' he said. 'The calligraphic representation and decorated Preamble as available in the Parliament Museum is the only such decorated copy till date… The photo of the original Preamble was a way of honouring founding fathers of the Constitution and there was no mala fide intention to the publication of the unamended version,' Jaitley added. However, this wasn't all. While former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, then a Union Minister, said the words would stay in the Constitution, Ravishankar Prasad, also a Union Minister, hit back at the Congress, asking it if it thought that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did not understand secularism. 'Secularism is in the blood of Indian people, that's part of our culture. It was not there in the original Preamble and was inserted during Emergency. But the government advertisement was about the original Preamble. We are committed to secularism and we don't have any idea to drop it,' Naidu said on January 30, 2015, at a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries. The following day, Prasad told journalists, 'Did Nehru have no understanding of secularism? These words were added during the Emergency. Now what is the harm if there is a debate on it? We have put before the nation the original Preamble … The Preamble and the Constituent Assembly that prepared it had leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, B R Ambedkar, and others. These two words were not there then.' Union Home Minister Amit Shah, then the BJP national president, also weighed in, telling The Hindu in an interview, 'This debate too is meaningless. The BJP believes that the Preamble as it stands today is fine. There is no need to change it.' When Parliament began functioning from the new building two years ago, a similar controversy erupted after the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha at the time, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said the copy of the Constitution distributed to MPs to mark the occasion did not have the current Preamble. 'They (the government) can say it is an older version. But they should have included the amended version too. They may say they have given us the original version. I think there is a deliberate design,' Chowdhury told The Indian Express on September 20, 2023. However, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal played down the issue, saying the MPs may have been given a copy of the original Constitution. 'It (Preamble) was like this when the Constitution was adopted. After that, the 42nd amendment came… So it must be the original copy.' The Lok Sabha Secretariat also clarified the matter. In a bulletin issued on September 18, it said that MPs would be given a copy of the Constitution and a calligraphed copy of the original document. 'To mark the historic first sitting in the Parliament House of India (new building of Parliament) a copy of the Constitution of India, calligraphed copy of the original Constitution of India, newsletter 'Gaurav', and the commemorative stamp and coin released on the occasion of inauguration of the new building of Parliament will be presented to Hon'ble Members,' read the bulletin.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
'No AC, no bathroom, no hotel stay': Trinidad business tycoon recalls when PM Modi slept in cramped room used for ironing clothes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Trinidad and Tobago this week was more than just a diplomatic engagement; it was a heartfelt reunion with the past and a celebration of shared cultural roots. The trip brought back memories of his early political journey, including a touching moment from 1998 shared by industrialist ML Mittal. 'I first met Narendra Modi ji in New York in 1998…' Mittal recalled. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now At the time, Modi was a BJP leader visiting New York with a few RSS members. Mittal hosted them at his modest four-bedroom flat. Despite being offered the host's own room or a hotel stay, Modi humbly chose to sleep in a small utility room used for ironing clothes. 'He came with some RSS workers and stayed in my apartment, which had just four bedrooms. I insisted that Modiji take my room or I would arrange a hotel for him. He refused. Instead, he chose to sleep in a small utility room used for ironing clothes. It had no air conditioning and no attached bathroom, but he said it was perfect for him,' Mittal fondly recalled. Live Events — ANI (@ANI) Ceremonial Welcome in Port of Spain Modi began his visit to Trinidad and Tobago with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport. He was welcomed warmly by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, 38 ministers, and four Members of Parliament. A lively crowd danced to the beat of traditional drums, combining local and Indian cultural performances to greet him. Modi shared the moments on social media platform X, writing, 'May the friendship between India-Trinidad & Tobago flourish in the times to come! Highlights from a special welcome in Port of Spain.' Later that evening, PM Modi attended a traditional dinner hosted by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, where food was served on Sohari leaves. He noted how the leaf holds deep cultural meaning for Trinidadians of Indian origin, as it's commonly used during festivals and religious gatherings. In his post, he wrote, 'The dinner hosted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had food served on a Sohari leaf, which is of great cultural significance to the people of Trinidad & Tobago, especially those with Indian roots.' During the dinner, PM Modi presented Bissessar with a replica of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, along with holy water from the Saryu River and from the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. He said, 'They symbolise the deep cultural and spiritual bonds between India and Trinidad & Tobago.' PM Modi also addressed members of the Indian community in Port of Spain. He was joined by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whose presence made the event even more memorable. Modi thanked her for her kind words and her commitment to strengthening ties between the two countries. In his words, 'Today's community programme in Port of Spain was made even more special by the distinguished presence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.' Inputs from agencies
