The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) elections recorded around 71 per cent voter turnout on Friday, which is 2 per cent less than last year’s 73 per cent.
However, the second highest in the last 12 years after 2024. As per the EC, Out of a total 7,906 eligible voters, a total of approximately 5400 students had cast their votes. Polling has been held in two sessions, from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm at 17 centres across the campus, However, voting time increased by an hour, according to sources. The counting of votes began later in the night and is underway with the results expected by April 28.
This year’s elections mark a significant shift in campus politics. For the first time in years, the United Left stands divided. The All India Students Association (AISA) and the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) have formed one bloc, while the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), and the Progressive Students’ Association (PSA) have come together to form another.
This fragmentation is being seen as an opportunity for the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to make a strong comeback. At the presidential debate, ABVP’s presidential candidate Shikha Swaraj declared, “I am very glad to see a broken Left. This is the time that ABVP will rise.”
In this year’s JNUSU Polls, core issues remained the same as fee hikes, drinking water, gender equality, freedom of expression, and the infrastructural challenges of JNU. But the recent terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam has added a deeply emotional and political layer to the campaign. Before the presidential debate began, a two-minute silence was observed for the victims. AISA and DSF held a candlelight march, while ABVP’s Shikha Swaraj used the moment to strike a rhetorical blow, asking, “Did the terrorists in Kashmir ask the victims’ religion before killing them?”
This year, 13 candidates are in the race for president, including Shikha Swaraj (ABVP), Nitish Kumar (AISA), Suman (AIDSO), and Pradeep Dhaka (NSUI). ABVP’s full panel includes Nittu Goutham (Vice-President), Kunal Rai (General Secretary), and Vaibhav Meena (Joint Secretary).
The AISA-DSF alliance has nominated Nitish Kumar for president, Manisha for vice president, Munteha Fatima for general secretary, and Naresh Kumar for joint secretary.
Meanwhile, the SFI-BAPSA-AISF-PSA bloc has put forward Choudhary Tayyaba Ahmed for president, Santosh Kumar for vice president, Ramniwas Gurjar for general secretary, and Nigam Kumar for joint secretary.
