On Panjab University’s political landscape, where alliances shift and slogans change every year, one thing has remained constant since 2022 – the Indian National Students Organisation’s (INSO) hold over the general secretary’s post.
Call it an astute strategy or a decision made after examining all permutations and combinations, the party has categorically stayed away from contesting on other posts in recent years, fielding a candidate only on the general secretary’s post. This year too, the party has named its candidate – Vishesh Dhaka – well in advance, hoping to gain ground with the voters.
Founded in 2003 by the then Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Ajay Singh Chautala, INSO went into offshoot Jannayak Janta Party’s kitty after a rift in the Chautala clan forced a vertical split in the parent party.
In 2018, the party fought in alliance with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and clinched the general secretary’s post. In 2019, it lost the post to the National Students Union of India (NSUI) by a narrow margin of 10 votes. In 2022, when the elections were held for the first time after two-year pandemic forced hiatus, INSO made a strong comeback, fighting in an alliance, and later won the 2023 and 2024 polls on its own accord.
Party president Rajat Nain says the party believes in doing solid groundwork and establishing a presence among students. “We always give a chance to hardworking candidates,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Party president Rajat Nain says the party believes in doing solid groundwork and establishing a presence among students. “We always give a chance to hardworking candidates,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Deepak Goyat, who served on the general secretary’s post in 2023, quips, “We work in ‘real’, not just in ‘reels’.”
When asked why the party only fights on the general secretary’s post and not on the president’s post, Nain says, “The general secretary’s post is as important as the president’s post. With regards to fighting on the general secretary’s post, it was a collective decision of the party, with the ultimate goal being the students’ welfare. For all we know, we may fight for the president’s post next year.”
Goyat, meanwhile, adds, “We believe that the general secretary’s post is lucky for us.” Though one will have to wait till September 3 to know whether luck will remain on their side this time too.