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BJP unites Left, loses JNU Students Union elections

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[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]

Cricket news

Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinch maiden IPL title with thrilling win over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad

RCB secured their first-ever IPL title by defeating Punjab Kings in a tense final in Ahmedabad, thanks to clutch performances from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Krunal Pandya.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) etched their name in history books on Tuesday night by winning their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a thrilling final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. After posting a total of 190 for 9, RCB held their nerve in the death overs to bowl out Punjab for 161 and secure a 29-run win.

PBKS, chasing 191, found themselves under immense pressure after regular setbacks despite resistance from Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera. The turning point came in the 17th over, when Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up two crucial wickets, including that of Marcus Stoinis and Wadhera, dashing Punjab’s hopes of a comeback.

Earlier, Arshdeep Singh starred with the ball for Punjab, finishing with figures of 3 for 40. His fiery spell in the final over helped restrict RCB to 190, despite a 43-run contribution from Virat Kohli and brief cameos by the middle order. However, the target ultimately proved enough for Bengaluru’s disciplined bowling unit.

Kyle Jamieson picked three wickets but was expensive, conceding 48 runs in four overs. RCB’s bowling attack, led by Krunal Pandya (2 wickets) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2 for 24), maintained pressure throughout the innings. Josh Hazlewood also contributed with a key wicket in the powerplay.

With this win, RCB have finally ended their long wait for an IPL trophy, a moment celebrated with emotional scenes on the field and in the stands.

As the final winning confirmed, RCB sealed their historic IPL title, an emotional Virat Kohli was seen with tears in his eyes, overwhelmed by the long-awaited triumph. Having spent over a decade with the franchise, the win marked a deeply personal milestone for Kohli, who soaked in the atmosphere amid thunderous cheers from the Bengaluru fans. It was a moment of redemption, relief, and raw joy, reflecting the years of dedication he poured into the team.

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Congress says India not invited for G7 summit in Canada another diplomatic bungle

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The Congress on Tuesday described India’s apparent exclusion from the G7 summit in Canada as “yet another significant diplomatic misstep,” compounding the “error” of permitting US mediation in India-Pakistan relations.

The summit, scheduled for 15–17 June in Alberta, Canada, is set to address global challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and West Asia tensions.

Reports indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to attend the G7 summit in Kananaskis, marking his first absence in six years.

Ottawa has reportedly not extended an invitation to Modi, though insiders suggest he would have declined regardless, given the strained India-Canada relations, which would necessitate extensive preparatory work.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, highlighted the summit’s attendees, including the leaders of the US, France, UK, Japan, Italy, Germany, and Canada, alongside invited presidents of Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and Ukraine, and Australia’s prime minister.

In a post on X, Ramesh recalled, “Before 2014, the G7 was the G8, including Russia. Dr. Manmohan Singh was a regular invitee to G8 summits, where his contributions, like the Singh-Merkel climate change formula unveiled in Germany in June 2007, were valued.”

Ramesh noted that the tradition of inviting Indian prime ministers persisted post-2014, but Modi’s absence from the Canada summit represents a break.

He stated, “Despite any spin, this is a major diplomatic blunder, following the folly of allowing the US to reverse decades of Indian foreign policy by mediating between India and Pakistan and endorsing talks at a ‘neutral site’.”

Ties between India and Canada deteriorated sharply after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2023 allegations of potential Indian involvement in the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, further complicating bilateral relations and contributing to the current diplomatic standoff.

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MP CM Mohan Yadav slams Rahul Gandhi for not taking off shoes while paying tribute to Indira Gandhi

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for not removing his shoes while paying tribute to a statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, describing the act as contrary to Indian cultural values.

Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, visited Bhopal on a one-day trip. Upon arriving, the former Congress president offered floral tributes at a life-size statue of Indira Gandhi, his grandmother, located outside the state party headquarters.

A video of the event, widely circulated on social media, showed Gandhi wearing shoes during the tribute, prompting backlash.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting at the state BJP office, Chief Minister Yadav remarked, “The Leader of Opposition is welcome in our state—it’s a democracy, and everyone has the right to visit. However, offering floral tributes to his Dadi ji (grandmother) without removing his shoes was inappropriate. This goes against our sanskar (culture). He should be mindful of this.”

Yadav added, “We are sensitive to our cultural values, and such gestures evoke emotion. Still, there’s no issue with his visit, as people from all parties should engage in democratic activities.”

Gandhi’s visit included attending several meetings and launching the Congress’s ‘Sangathan Srujan Abhiyan’ (Organisation Rejuvenation Campaign), aimed at bolstering the party’s grassroots presence ahead of the 2028 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

In a post on X, Congress leader KC Venugopal said, “After Gujarat, it is time for Madhya Pradesh! Under INC President Sh. Mallikarjun @kharge ji and LOP Sh. @RahulGandhi ji’s leadership, we are embarking on the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan in MP today.”

“Rahul ji offered tributes to Former PM Indira Gandhi ji in Bhopal, and then we began our 1-day programme with the MP Political Affairs Committee at Indira Bhavan,” he added.

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