At the presidential debate Wednesday night. Tashi TobgyalIn JNU students’ union elections, on Friday, only the United Left Panel and ABVP have fielded candidates for all four seats. For the post of president, however, five organisations and an independent candidate are set to battle it out. Aranya Shankar looks at the presidential candidates.
Aishe Ghosh (24)
Ghosh was the unit’s joint secretary last year.Students’ Federation of India Ghosh is the first presidential candidate from SFI since it formed an alliance with AISA in 2015. Hailing from West Bengal’s Durgapur, Ghosh completed graduation from Delhi University. She is a second-year MPhil student of International Relations. Associated with SFI since 2016, Ghosh was the unit’s joint secretary last year. On her agenda is to “restore campus democracy, fight against communal-fascistic onslaughts, resist ABVP-admin nexus and continue the students’ movement as a united student force”.
Manish Jangid (25)
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
Jangid’s main agenda is to “restore the deprivation point system”A third-year PhD student in the School of Environment Studies, Jangid did his graduation from Jodhpur’s MBM Engineering College before joining JNU. Jangid is the ABVP’s unit secretary. His main agenda is to “restore the deprivation point system” and ensure “funds for infrastructure for hostels and amenities in residential and school areas”.
Jitendra Suna (29)
Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association
Suna was one of the founding members of BAPSA in 2014.A third-year PhD student in the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Suna has also done his MPhil and MA at JNU. Hailing from Odisha’s Kalahandi district, Suna parents worked as labourers and he himself did physical labour to provide his family. He did his graduation from a college near his village. Suna was one of the founding members of BAPSA in 2014. On top of his agenda is to address dropout rates in JNU, especially of those from the reserved categories, and make sure students receive their fellowship on time.
Prashant Kumar (26)
National Students’ Union of India
On his agenda is addressing problems of science studentsThe third-year PhD student of Philosophy hails from UP’s Ghatampur. He completed graduation from DU’s Hindu College before joining JNU for MA. He’s the only candidate the NSUI has fielded this year in the central panel. On his agenda is addressing problems of science students and improving hostel and library infrastructure.
Priyanka Bharti (22)
Chhatra Rashtriya Janata Dal
On Bharti’s agenda is to “fight academic inequalitiesPursuing MA in German, Bharti was the first person to leave the satellite town of Fatuha near Patna to pursue higher studies. She joined the CRJD last year, soon after a unit was formed in JNU. On her agenda is to “fight academic inequalities by taking back deprivation points” and reinstating GSCASH.
