JNUSU polls: ABVP polls fewer votes, but improves position

The RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) improved its ranking, standing second on all four posts, but witnessed a dip in votes polled in this years’ JNUSU polls.

Since 2014, when the Modi government came to power at the Centre, the ABVP had managed to establish a pool of core voters of up to 1,000-1,200 voters.

Last year, the ABVP had polled between approximately 900-1,200 votes for the central panel seats, with Vijay Kumar, the general secretary candidate bagging 1,287 votes. However, this year it saw a slight dip in the absolute numbers as the ABVP candidates did not poll over 1,042 votes — secured by Nidhi Tripathi, their presidential candidate.

“The total number of polls have also gone down, so the absolute number of votes for all across the board has declined. In fact, the vote percentage has improved. Our support base has also broadened,” said Saket Bahuguna, ABVP spokesperson.

The ABVP won big at the science schools, by claiming that they were backing almost nine of the candidates who won at various science schools. Tripathi had also managed a short-lived lead when the ballots from these schools were being counted.

Amal PP, the outgoing vice president who backed the United Left, said as many of the ABVP stronghold schools, such as the Sanskrit Centre and the School of Computer and System Sciences, had seen significant seat cuts, it might have hurt their chances.

“On the one side, the BJP government cuts seats, and on the other the ABVP goes and protests the seat cuts. This inconsistency only confuses the students,” he said.

The BJP said ABVP securing the second position in JNU was a ‘moral’ victory for them as it was contesting alone against a united front floated by Left parties.

“Because of ABVP’s growing influence, they had to compromise and form an alliance,” said Manoj Tiwari, Delhi BJP president.

Gajender Yadav, Delhi BJP secretary, who was appointed to coordinate off-campus activities for JNU elections, said, “Had the Left outfits contested individually, the ABVP would have won easily.”