In pics: Left or Right? JNU votes and waits to know

Students voted on Friday to elect the students union of JNU, which is witnessing a three-cornered contest this year as ABVP and BAPSA fight it out with the AISA-SFI alliance.

Students voted on Friday to elect the students union of JNU, which is witnessing a three-cornered contest this year as ABVP and BAPSA fight it out with the AISA-SFI alliance.

The JNUSU polls, a keenly fought contest, have been hogging more limelight this year against the backdrop of a February 9 event during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. The incident had led to the arrest of outgoing JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and two others.

Umar Khalid near a polling booth for the Jawaharlal Nehru University students’ Union election in New Delhi on Friday. Khalid was arrested for allegedly shouting anti-national slogans at the university on February 9 and was later released on bail. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

The counting of votes will begin on Friday tonight.

“It is very unpredictable this year. It is a three-cornered contest. Students have become very cautious after the recent saffronisation attempts on the campus,” Maanvi Ahuja, a student of School of Social Sciences said.

Outgoing JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar at the university on Friday. Kumar was arrested for allegedly shouting anti-national slogans at the university on February 9 and was later released on bail. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

JNUSU, which remained a Left-dominated arena for years, saw RSS’ student wing ABVP securing a seat last year, making a comeback in the university after a hiatus of 14 years.

Outgoing JNU students’ union vice-president Shehla Rashid at the university on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Birsa Ambdekar Phule Students Association’s candidate Rahul Sonpimple has been the show stealer at the debate this year. “BAPSA has a small presence on the campus, but voters in JNU are fed up of AISA’s arrogance. They had a monopoly. This might go against the Left alliance,” said a student who did not wish to be identified.

Outgoing JNU students’ union vice-president Shehla Rashid talks to a student at the university on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Others, whose candidates are in the fray, include Congress’ National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Students Front for Swaraj (SFS), the student wing of AAP’s breakaway group Swaraj Abhiyan.

Vijay Kumar, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s candidate for the general secretary post in the JNU students’ union , near a polling booth at the university on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

All India Students’ Federation (AISF), of which Kanhaiya is a member, is not contesting this year while All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India (SFI) have formed an alliance named “Left Unity”.

(Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

JNUSU is the representative body of the students in the varsity. While the polling has coincided with that of DUSU for the fourth consecutive year, the poll pattern at JNU differs from that of Delhi University.

ABVP supporters near a polling booth at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)