Four in fray for president post in Panjab University student body

Four students are in the fray for the post of president in the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) elections scheduled on September 6. Among the four,

Four students are in the fray for the post of president in the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) elections scheduled on September 6. Among the four, there is only one woman contender.

The final list of candidates was released after withdrawals on Saturday. Earlier, names of 28 students were cleared for the president’s post in the provisional list on Friday.

Priya, 26, from the Students for Society (SFS), Paras Rattan , 23, of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Nikhil Narmeta, 22, of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Chetan Chaudhary, 23, joint candidate of Students’ Organisation of India (SOI) and Panjab University Students’ Union (PUSU), will contest for the top post.

Meanwhile, four candidates each are in fray for the secretary and vice-president posts. Six candidates are vying for the post of joint secretary.

Alliances forged

Alliances were forged by major parties after the names of their candidates were cleared.

SOI went into an alliance with PUSU, Indian Students’ Association (ISA), Himachal Students’ Union (HIMSU) and Himachal Pradesh Students’ Union (HPSU).

ABVP joined hands with the Indian National Students’ Organisation (INSO) and a faction of Himachal Pradesh Students’ Union (HPSU). Interestingly, INSO was among 14 parties that were protesting the removal of dean students’ welfare (DSW) Emanual Nahar and had alleged the move would help the ABVP win the elections.

All India Students’ Association (AISA) has given unconditional support to the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), which has fielded a woman candidate for the vice-president post.

There are total 16,138 eligible voters on the PU campus this year. Students will also elect 128 department representatives (DR).