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PU polls 2023: Student parties pull out all stops to woo voters
Accompanied by massive swathes of supporters, the PU poll candidates marched on designated routes – from the tent area near Gate Number 1 to various hostels on the campus – to conjure support two days before for the much-awaited polling day
After remaining unusually lacklustre for the past few days, the campaign for the September 6 Panjab University student polls reached its crescendo on Sunday, after student parties were allowed to take out foot rallies for an hour each.
Accompanied by massive swathes of supporters, the presidential candidates marched on designated routes – from the tent area near Gate Number 1 to various hostels on the campus – to conjure support two days before for the much-awaited polling day.
Chanting slogans, exuberant supporters walked shoulder to shoulder with their candidates under the watchful eyes of cops, both male and female.
Sporting party insignia on their clothes, the supporters cheerfully also tossed stickers and pamphlets in the air, leaving behind a trail of litter, a violation of the Lyngdoh Committee guidelines.
While the Chandigarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur, during a meeting with all candidates, had reminded them that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was in force in the city, dean students welfare (DSW) Jatinder Grover said his office had the authority to allow rallies within the campus.
The DSW had given permission to 14 student associations to take out rallies in one-hour slots between 5 pm and 9 pm on Sunday. However, not all parties took up the offer.
While Panjab University Students Union (PUSU), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Punjab Students Union (PSU Lalkaar), Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) and Hindustan Students Association (HSA) took out rallies, National Students Union of India (NSUI), Students Organisation of India (SOI) and Sath party decided to hold them on Monday, the last day of campaigning.
Permission was given only for a foot rally. While this was largely followed, due to increased checking at entry gates, long traffic jams were witnessed in and around the campus, especially near Gate Number 3.
A heated exchange allegedly happened between members of SOI and PSU Lalkaar at Sarojini Hall near Girls Hostel number 3. However, cops immediately intervened and the situation was brought under control.
DSW women Simrit Kahlon was also present outside girls hostels near Gate Number 3 to regulate traffic and said the rallies were carried out peacefully.
On Monday, the last day of campaigning, the student parties will be making the final push to woo voters. While the open house debate has not been allowed again this year, parties will move from department to department and hostel to hostel to gather support. Poll activity is also expected to pick up at more popular spots, such as Student Centre.
Polling is scheduled on Wednesday to elect the four-member student council, for which 21 candidates are in the fray. Among them nine are vying for the president’s post, and four each are contesting for the posts of vice-president, secretary and joint secretary. A total of 15,693 students are eligible to vote in the election.
So far, three alliances have emerged in the run-up to the polls. CYSS has joined hands with the Himachal Students’ Union (HIMSU). Indian National Students Organisation (INSO) has forged alliance with SOI and Himachal Pradesh Students Union, while Panjab University Helping Hands (PUHH) has tied up with ABVP.
In the last elections in 2022, ABVP-turncoat Aayush Khatkar of CYSS had defeated Harish Gujjar of ABVP by 660 votes. NSUI had managed to grab two posts, with its candidates Harshdeep Singh Batth being elected as vice-president and Manish Boora as joint secretary. The post of secretary had gone to Pravesh Bishnoi, the joint candidate of the ABVP-led alliance.
A total of 43,705 students will also be eligible to vote at 10 city colleges to pick their respective student councils. Here, 110 candidates are contesting for the four posts.
