Bhubaneswar: The student union elections at colleges and universities throughout Odisha are scheduled for October 15, marking the first such event in eight years. With the election date approaching, candidates are ramping up their campaigning efforts via social media and hostel visits, especially after a holiday that limited face-to-face interactions.
A total of 6,708 candidates are competing across 13 universities and 347 colleges. In the universities, 429 nominations were submitted, with 49 rejected and 34 withdrawn, resulting in 346 candidates. Colleges initially saw 8,370 nominations, but after 1,196 rejections and 405 withdrawals, 6,769 candidates are contesting the elections.
In this context, the opposition party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has accused State Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik of using police and anti-social elements to dominate student unions in areas such as Polasara, Buguda, and Balipada, located in Ganjam district.
During a press conference held at Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, BJD general secretary and former minister Srikant Sahu, accompanied by party spokesperson Tumbanath Panda, charged that Mallik is exploiting administrative resources to intimidate rival candidates and coerce them into withdrawing their nominations.
Sahu asserted that following the announcement of the election schedule, Mallik became aware of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal’s strong chances in Polasara, Buguda, and Balipada, and subsequently employed local authorities and thugs to apply pressure on candidates and their families. He lamented the lack of action from police despite complaints being lodged after violent incidents, condemning the minister’s alleged misuse of power to control student unions.
Panda criticized Mallik’s comments regarding former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, suggesting they were an attempt to distract from the minister’s own shortcomings. He noted that while Naveen had transformed Odisha into a state admired globally, the past two and a half years under the current BJP government had tarnished its reputation due to poor governance.
The spokesperson alleged that BJP leaders and ministers were vying for attention by targeting Naveen, whose governance and character are well-recognized by the populace. He insisted that the people of Odisha are dissatisfied with the BJP’s performance and will respond accordingly in the future.
On another front, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) announced early successes, reporting that its candidates were elected unopposed to 252 positions in 60 colleges. This includes 12 presidents, 17 general secretaries, 22 vice-presidents, and 23 joint secretaries. ABVP leaders explained that after the withdrawal deadline, no challengers remained for these roles. They also indicated uncontested victories at Berhampur University for posts like president, drama secretary, and cultural secretary, as well as strong performances at several other colleges.
ABVP national secretary Shravan B Raj stated that the elections in Odisha represent a challenge against the political strategies of Congress and the BJD, emphasizing that the inability of NSUI and BCJD to put forward candidates in numerous colleges demonstrated that mere political support is inadequate without active student involvement.
Deeptimayee Pratihari, ABVP Odisha East secretary, expressed optimism for a successful outcome, attributing it to the trust of students and a focus on welfare-related issues.
Concurrently, the BJD-affiliated Biju Chhatra Janata Dal has claimed that its candidates won key positions unopposed at over 100 campuses, including four significant posts at Dharanidhar University in Kendujhar.
At institutions like Utkal University, candidates have been addressing concerns such as drinking water availability, sanitation, campus safety, and the overall academic environment. An NSUI representative pointed out issues with inadequate hostel facilities, highlighting that students on three floors share a single water purifier, along with concerns over sanitation and the need for enhanced safety for female students. Presidential candidate Saurabh Behera mentioned that his team was outlining its plans to tackle campus issues, while AISF vice-presidential candidate Pappu Rout sought support for improving campus safety and the academic setting. An NSUI representative added that a collaboration with the AISF aimed to consolidate support focused on student issues. With polling day approaching, candidates from various panels are intensifying their efforts to sway undecided voters.
