English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

BJP unites Left, loses JNU Students Union elections

Published

8 years ago

on

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]ABVP failed to win elections for any major post in the premier institution but emerged as the second biggest political force in a traditional Left citadel

Despite sustained efforts of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to ‘saffronise’ at least the politics of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), if not its syllabus and social ambience, a United Left once again trumped in painting the premier institution ‘red’, as the results of the varsity’s students union elections were declared late on Sunday night.

A United Left – brought together in its common resistance to the rising clout of the BJP through its students’ wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and also a Vice Chancellor who has been criticised for pursuing a ‘saffron agenda’ – swept the JNUSU polls for all four major posts of president, vice president, general secretary and vice president. However, the ABVP – which has seen a gradual rise in its political clout in the otherwise traditionally Left-leaning varsity – registered a strong vote-base, coming second in all seats, while the Amberkarite party – Birsa Phule Ambedkar Students’ Association (BAPSA) stood third.

In an expected setback for the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI), all its candidates who were in the running for the top four posts finished a poor fourth – securing fewer votes than those polled for the NOTA (None of the above) option.

Although the Left Unity panel of student bodies AISA-SFI-DSF (All India Students’ Association, Students’ Federation of India, and Democratic Students’ Federation respectively) managed to keep the ABVP away from winning the polls, the significant jump in the NOTA votes should be a cause of concern for those who have won the polls, as it also showcases a growing resentment among students at the varsity against its dominant Left politics. Similarly, for the ABVP, the NOTA votes presents an opportunity – of reaching out to these voters and convincing them to vote for the saffron brigade if red isn’t their colour.

The rise in NOTA votes aside, another cause of concern for the Left candidates in the future should be the dip in voter turnout per cent. This year’s JNUSU polls saw a 56 per cent voter turnout, three per cent less than the previous year’s polls. However, in real terms, this year’s turn out indicates a massive dip since the JNU administration had slashed the number of seats for students at the varsity in the current academic session by a 1,000.

This aside, the Left Unity panel shouldn’t forget that it managed to retain its hold on all key JNUSU posts only because individual Left-affiliated parties managed to set aside their personal differences and contested as a united coalition to take on the BJP-affiliate, which still managed to retain – like the previous year’s elections – the largest vote share polled for one party. If all votes polled were broken down to an average, the ABVP would have secured 950-odd votes for every central post, and over 10 councillor posts at the school-level, primarily from science. And though this is a decline when compared to last year’s 1,200 votes for the ABVP, the dip can also be attributed to greater Left unity, lower voter turnout and a general sentiment among JNU students of resisting the BJP’s interference in the running of the varsity through writs by the Centre that are purportedly executed by a controversial vice chancellor who has on more than a few occasions established his proclivity for the saffron ideology – the latest being his demand for installing a defunct Army tank in the JNU campus to “instill patriotism” in students.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1505121363370{margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-top-width: 20px !important;border-bottom-width: 20px !important;background-color: #a2b1bf !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]The result:

Out of 4,620 votes polled for the president’s post, AISA’s Geeta Kumari secured 1,506 votes, trouncing Nidhi Tripathi of ABVP by almost 460 votes.

Left Unity panel’s candidates Simone Zoya Khan, Duggirala Srikrishna and Shubhanshu Singh were elected as vice president, general secretary and joint secretary respectively. Srikrishna, an SFI member, with 2,082 votes cast in his favour grabbed the highest number of individual votes for any post and also secured the highest margin of victory.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A key takeaway of the result is also the rise of the relatively new student outfit BAPSA, which finished third – but with the ABVP ahead by a very narrow lead – on all key seats. By effectively raising Dalit causes and with its combative anti-Left rhetoric, BAPSA has showed that it is now a force to reckon with in JNU students’ politics. In just a few years of formation, they have emerged with a concrete cadre base and a stable vote bank (800-1000 votes of SC/ST and some of the OBC vote, along with the vote of those dissatisfied with the Left parties). BAPSA and ABVP could, in the near future, stand a shot at victory if the Left alliance crumbles or the incumbents don’t perform as per expectations of the students.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

Published

3 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

Continue Reading

India News

RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

Published

8 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

Continue Reading

India News

IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

9 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com