Major parties bereft of issues

CHANDIGARH: With Panjab University Students’ Council polls less than three weeks away, major parties are struggling to come up with issues to be used in their campaigns. Be it NSUI, PUSU, the ruling party or SOI, party leaders say that this year they were having a hard time deciding what their main campaign topics should be.

Ishrat S Banwait

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16

With Panjab University Students’ Council polls less than three weeks away, major parties are struggling to come up with issues to be used in their campaigns. Be it NSUI, PUSU, the ruling party or SOI, party leaders say that this year they were having a hard time deciding what their main campaign topics should be.

However, smaller and newer parties like ISA, PFS and PUHH, who are unlikely to contest alone or even on all the seats, are already working on unique issues. Indian Students Association (ISA), making its debut on the campus this year today ended a three-day hunger strike for demands like free e-rickshaw service for differently abled and increase in hostel seats for science students.

Most of the major parties like PUSU and NSUI say that they would consult the students and then prepare their manifestoes. NSUI has already prepared a questionnaire for hostellers. It has been circulated and includes questions like cleanliness, quality of food, internet accessibility, sports facilities and security.

While the issue of the PU’s fiscal crisis has been solved for the time being, SFS and SOI plan to take it up in their manifestoes. SOI leader Vicky Middukherha said, “We will take up the issue of fiscal crisis and ensure that no further fee hike is done.” After a major fee hike was announced, it was rolled back to 10 per cent by the Vice Chancellor earlier this year.

The parties are holding protests on issues that do not directly concern the campus. NSUI and PUSU have held protests and candle marches on issues like stalking incidents and Gorakhpur tragedy. Even today, Ambedkar Students Union (ASA) and Punjab Students Union (Lalkar) held separate protests on the Gorakhpur tragedy.

The SFS said, “It will take up the same issue as many other issues like student teacher ratio and fee hike.” SFS leader Daman said, “We are yet to finalise the issues but they will revolve around the financial crunch which is leading to many other problems on the campus.”

PUSU breakaway faction emerges

As NSUI struggles to stay united, another party that has split is PUSU. PUSU for Students or PFS includes members who have actively worked for the party in the past. Party president is Sahil Kamboj while his cousin Amandeep Kamboj is the founder. Amandeep was PUSU president in 2014 and says that PUSU deviated from its ideology of never allying with a political party last year as it joined hands with the NSUI. He added that they would ally with a party with similar ideology this year and may even offer unconditional support.