Chandigarh: ‘Alliance with SOI paid off, BJP-SAD ties separate matter’

On being asked how much the alliance helped Bidhan, he said SOI did not have a candidate in the election and supported our bid for the presidential seat, it helped increase our margin

‘Alliance with SOI paid off, BJP-SAD ties separate matter’

Ankit Bidhan (HT)

A day after being elected the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) president, Ankit Bidhan reflects on the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) second consecutive win on campus and outlines his agenda for the varsity. Edited excerpts of his conversation with Rajanbir Singh.

Q: How much did the SOI alliance help your campaign? Should the BJP ally with the SAD in Punjab?

Both ABVP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are separate entities. The Students Organisation of India (SOI) did not have a candidate in the election and supported our bid for the presidential seat. This followed a series of meetings, and the alliance helped increase our margin of victory. As for the alliance between the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), that is a decision for the senior leadership of the parties to make.

Q: What about cyclical reservation and other promises in ABVP made last year but could not be delivered?

ABVP was the first party to raise the issue of cyclical reservation for women (where seats or posts are reserved for women on a rotational basis so that no particular seat remains permanently locked) during the 2024 election campaign. We were told that the proposal was turned down due to concerns over Lyngdoh guidelines’ violation. We will study how the system can be implemented and will at least try to introduce reservation for women in the departmental representative (DR) elections.

This has been a longstanding demand of our party and will continue to remain so. Following the controversy over the constitution of the Senate last year, ABVP leaders met officials of the Ministry of Education. During those meetings, we stressed the importance of student representation in the Senate and demanded the inclusion of elected PUCSC members as voting members of the PU Senate.

Q: By when will the new PU app for students be launched? What about free e-rickshaw rides, women’s safety and a monthly stipend for non-JRF scholars?

While the App and stipend are policy matters that will have to go through the appropriate tendering process and will take time, I had promised to provide free e-rickshaw rides for women on campus on Rakhi, and we plan to implement this soon. A lump sum daily payment will be made to e-rickshaw drivers who operate on fixed routes on the campus. Women will be able to avail themselves of these rides free of cost.

Q: What steps will you take to improve placements and PU’s rankings?

We will directly reach out to local entrepreneurs and companies that are hiring to facilitate placements for students. We will share our contacts with the coordinators of placement cells in various departments and hold meetings to identify and address any other issues. We will also work with the PU authorities to strengthen the university’s performance and image in various rankings.

Q: Why did you contest the elections for only one seat?

It was easier to focus the campaign on a single candidate. This is something the party had done last year too with Gauravveer Sohal, its presidential candidate. While our opponents were busy forming alliances, they were getting distracted and focusing on negative propaganda against ABVP. We presented a report card of Sohal’s term, showing that 85% of the promises made by the party had been fulfilled. Gen Z responded well to our messaging, and it was their support that helped us win.