JNU Election 2018: The first phase of the polling has ended at 1:30 pm, the second phase of the polling will be held between 2:30 to 5:30 pm. (Express Photo by Aranya Shankar)
The polling for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) election is going on with students lined up to exercise their democratic rights to select candidates for the four imporatant posts of president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary. The first phase of the polling has ended at 1:30 pm, the second phase of the polling will be held between 2:30 to 5:30 pm. The authorities will soon release the JNU Election Result 2018 date.
The election authorities have made tight security arrangements to prevent any sort of malpractices and violence in the campus. The Left-backed All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) and All India Students’ Federation (AISF) have come together to form the United-Left alliance.
Express Photo by Aranya Shankar
On Wednesday, on the presidential debate, the candidates alleged that “anti-national” elements were present on the JNU’s campus and the country is turning into “lynchistan”. In his speech, United-left panel candidate N Sai Balaji, a frontrunner for the top post, said, “Mobs are allowed to kill people and get away with it as they have the backing of the RSS and the central government, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The country has been turned into lynchistan.” He also spoke on demonetisation and unemployment. “Demonetisation was a failure, there are no jobs as promised and there is a constant attack on higher education,” Balaji said September 12 night.
Express Photo by Aranya Shankar
Lalit Pandey, the candidate of the BJP’s student wing ABVP, alleged that there were “anti-national” elements present on the campus and promised to “fix” them if voted to the post. The Rashtriya Janata Dal’s student wing has fielded a candidate for the first time in the JNUSU elections. Its candidate Jayant Kumar much like the Congress-affiliated NSUI’s nominee, Vikas Yadav, attacked the Centre over reducing funding for higher education and lowering the number of seats at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and scuttling with its reservation policy.
The Birsa Ambedkar Phule Student Association’s presidential candidate, Thallapelli Praveen, said his party represents the voice of students from oppressed classes on the campus. Praveen asked students to think beyond the left and right binary.
Besides routine campaigning, candidates in the JNUSU polls are supposed to give speeches about their agenda at the presidential debate, which is followed by a round of questions. The event was conducted on the lines of the US Presidential debate and is a sought-after affair. The JNUSU debate is a deciding factor for the union elections.
– With inputs from PTI