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BJP unites Left, loses JNU Students Union elections

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9 years ago

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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]

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Amit Shah praises Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, says Nation above post

Amit Shah hailed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister, saying BJP places the nation and students above any position while highlighting the government’s commitment to examination reforms.

Published

22 hours ago

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July 26, 2026

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Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised Dharmendra Pradhan’s decision to step down as Union Education Minister, saying the move reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to placing the nation and students above any political position.

In a post on X, Shah said that for BJP workers, the country, its youth and students are more important than any office. He described Pradhan’s resignation as an example of the party’s guiding principle of prioritising national interest over personal ambition.

Shah highlights government’s focus on exam reforms

Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government respects the sentiments of students and remains committed to strengthening the examination system following concerns over alleged paper leaks.

He said the Centre has introduced strict measures to ensure severe punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks and expressed confidence that these steps would deliver justice to students who cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Praises Pradhan’s work as Education Minister

Recalling Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure, Shah highlighted several initiatives undertaken during his time in the Education Ministry. He credited Pradhan with helping implement the National Education Policy (NEP), expanding PM SHRI schools, promoting digital education, strengthening skill development and improving coordination between industry and academic institutions.

Shah also said Pradhan worked towards making examinations more inclusive and student-centric, adding that his tenure reflected his commitment to the vision of a developed India.

Resignation follows NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation comes amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for accountability.

The resignation has triggered political reactions across party lines. While opposition parties have described the development as a result of sustained student protests, BJP leaders have projected it as an example of accountability and commitment to national interest.

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Assam flood death toll rises to 66, over 6.5 lakh people still affected

Assam’s flood situation improved slightly on Saturday, but more than 6.54 lakh people remain affected in six districts. Four fresh deaths have pushed the state’s flood toll to 66.

Published

22 hours ago

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July 26, 2026

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Assam floods

The flood situation in Assam showed marginal improvement on Saturday, though the disaster continued to impact more than 6.54 lakh people across six districts. Four more deaths were reported during the day, taking the total number of fatalities in this year’s floods to 66.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three of the latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, while one person lost their life in Charaideo.

The number of affected people declined from over 7.05 lakh across nine districts on Friday to 6,54,800 across six districts on Saturday, indicating a gradual improvement in the overall situation.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district

Among the affected districts, Sivasagar continues to be the worst hit, with nearly 2.9 lakh people impacted by the floods. Charaideo follows with around 1.9 lakh affected residents, while more than 1.3 lakh people remain affected in Jorhat.

The other districts still facing flood-related challenges are Dibrugarh, Golaghat and Nagaon.

Relief operations continue across affected areas

The ASDMA said the state administration is operating 274 relief camps and aid distribution centres across the affected districts. Around 18,902 displaced people are currently taking shelter at these facilities.

The latest daily bulletin also stated that floodwaters have inundated 810 villages across the state, while 34,970.8 hectares of agricultural land have suffered damage.

Rivers flowing above danger level

The floods have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in several areas.

Authorities said the Dikhou River in Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh are flowing above the danger level, and officials continue to closely monitor the situation.

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UP Government forms new SIT led by 3 IPS officers to probe Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a new SIT led by three IPS officers to investigate the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case in Ayodhya following Supreme Court directions.

Published

22 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

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Ram Mandir

The Uttar Pradesh government has reconstituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IG Kiran S, with DIG Somen Verma and SSP Dr Gaurav Grover as members, to investigate the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 

The move comes after directions from the Supreme Court, which sought a reconstituted investigation team to ensure an independent and comprehensive probe into the allegations.

The newly formed SIT is expected to continue the investigation and submit a status report before the Supreme Court on July 27.

Senior IPS officers to lead the probe

According to the state government, the investigation will now be supervised by senior IPS officers.  The revamped SIT has been tasked with examining all aspects of the alleged embezzlement of temple donations and carrying the investigation forward.

The Supreme Court had observed that criminal investigations and technical examination of theft-related cases are more effectively handled by experienced police officers, leading to the reconstitution of the SIT under senior IPS leadership.

Probe to continue under court supervision

The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of offerings (chadhava) donated by devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation and will review the SIT’s status report at the next hearing.

Authorities are expected to continue examining evidence collected during the earlier stages of the investigation as the newly constituted SIT proceeds with the case.

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