Ahead of poll , AAP student wing ‘fights factionalism’
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 24
The Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made its entry into Panjab University student politics in 2022 and won the president post in the maiden elections that year by a margin of 660 votes, is reeling under factionalism like another organisation related to a mainstream political party. While the other party, NSUI, can be seen getting under one roof at least for the election, the CYSS does not seem to be making considerable efforts towards unity and remains headless.
While some parties have around two-three factions, it is not the case in the CYSS. The AAP’s student wing has four-five groups on the campus. “Every other student joining us wants to contest from the party,” said a campus CYSS leader. According to sources in the party, the face for the president post could have been decided by now, but the decision was pending with the AAP leadership after multiple aspirants conveyed their wishes to contest on a CYSS ticket through AAP MLAs and leaders close to them.
However, the CYSS Chandigarh unit president, Sanjeev Chaudhary, claimed that the party was united on all fronts. “Everything will be clear on September 5. We all are fighting the elections collectively,” he added.
Another party leader said while the AAP leadership was not accepting claims from campus leaders last year for the president post, it has been going on this year. “Some claims have been made, but the leadership will soon settle on one name,” the party leader said.
There are two larger groups in the campus unit of the party. One faction is headed by a student leader who was earlier in the NSUI, while the other group is led by a former ABVP member. Also, there is another group of former NSUI volunteers who have been pressing claim over candidature for presidentship.
Observers on the campus believe that the fact that the party roped-in seasoned faces from other parties when it ventured on the campus in 2022, is hampering the unity in the party. These leaders had groups of their own when active in older parties and they shifted to the CYSS along with their supporters. In fact, the 2022 president post winner from the CYSS was a turncoat, who shifted from the ABVP.
Apart from these two groups, there is a faction of students who came from Student Organisation of India (SOI) in 2022, but are not much active in the political arena this time. Their absence from the campus is also affecting the canvassing this time. Moreover, some fresh faces who have just started their political journey on the campus have also demanded ticket for president seat.
It is yet to be seen if like the Congress leadership, the AAP politicians manage to make everyone sit on the same table before the elections are held on September 5.
