Faces running the show from behind the scenes

Aarti Kapur/ Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 21

Prominent student party leaders, who had been managing their party’s show from behind the curtain for the past several years, are again back on the campus after the Panjab University Campus Student Council (PUCSC) elections reached the feverish stage.

Interestingly, these familiar faces of the student parties are enrolling themselves with small departments to make their participation legal during the elections, but they have not attended a single class so far.

Surprisingly, the leaders, which run the show during the elections, have interesting academic profile.

Figure this out: Vikram (Vicky) Middukhera, who claims to be a student of French, has no record of his admission to the department. He has not attended a single class till date. NSUI leader Manoj Lubana today submitted his admission fee in the three-year law department and filed application for migration from PU Regional Centre, Department of Law, Muktsar, to three-year Law Department in Chandigarh.

Senior NSUI leader Birender Singh Dhillon, who also plays a prominent role in the campus elections, is not enrolled with any department. These days, he is coming to the campus for managing party activities of the NSUI.

Sailing in the same boat is ABVP senior leader Dinesh Chauhan. He is campaigning and taking part in all campus activities, but is not a student of the campus.

The only leader about whom the department confirmed admission is PUSU’s Satwinder Singh. He is enrolled with MA (Sociology).

Right from managing day-to-day activities, taking permissions and managing campaigns, these “brains” are working overtime these days.

Vikram (Vicky) Middukhera

Role in PU: State president of the SOI. Plays a key role in managing activities of the party on the campus and strengthening manpower for the past six months.

Department: Claims to be a student of Diploma Certificate Course in French.

Reality check: As per the head of the department, no student of this name is enrolled with the department this year till date.

Last year’s department: Claims to be pursuing his studies in the Department of Defence Studies (third semester). Department records, however, show that he has not taken admission and is reportedly a former student of the Defence Department. He flunked in two subjects of the second semester and later appeared for one. Earlier, he claimed to be a former student of the Public Administration Department.

Family background: Father elected as sarpanch for almost 25 years at Middukhera village, Muktsar. His mother is a housewife.

Political background: Previously held a key post in the SOPU on the Panjab University campus and DAV College, Sector 10. He is involved in active student politics for the past six years.

Manoj Lubana

Role in PU: Managing votes of hostellers in favour of the NSUI and attaching freshers with the party.

Department: Claims to be a student of law (second year). On Friday, he applied for migration from PU Regional Centre, Department of Law, Muktsar, to three-year Department of Law, Chandigarh.

Reality check: The head of the Department of Law denied receiving any such application of migration from Muktsar till Friday.

Last year’s department: Passed out from Panjab University.

Family background: From a well-connected political ideology. Besides having relatives in senior-level politics, his sister-in-law is a sarpanch at Kishagarh village. Earlier, his brother was holding the same key post in the village politics.

Political background: Elected youngest member of the Zila Parishad from Kishangarh and trying his hand in active politics for the past three years. Earlier, active member of the Chandigarh Students’ Union at SGGS College, Sector 26, and later joined the SOPU at Panjab University. At present, acting as a senior member of the NSUI.

Birender Dhillon

Role in PU: Known for initiating plans in building brand image. Looks after rallies, funding and masters last-minute strategy. Good hold among old students. Special in charge for attracting freshers. Face of the party and has good speaking skills.

Department: No admission to any department at Panjab University.

Last year’s department: Pursuing three-year law in Department of Law, Panjab University. However, department officials maintain that he hasn’t applied for admission to the semester till date.

Family background: No political background. Shifted to Chandigarh in 2006.

Political background: Holds a good political background. Earlier, an active member of the PUSU. Later, joined the SOPU and held key post there. Plays an important role in identifying candidates with clear image. Joined the NUSI in 2012 and lifted the party’s status in the 2013 student council elections. Recently, fought Youth Congress Lok Sabha president Anandpur Sahib. He joined the NSUI after Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the campus. Played a key role in the NSUI’s victory in the 2013 elections.

Satwinder Singh

Role in PU: PUSU president and plans statistical moves in raising key topics, especially regarding academics.

Department: Took admission to MA (Sociology).

Reality check: Department confirmed his admission.

Last year’s department: Department of BA-BEd. Took late admission with a special permission from the Vice-Chancellor. Hasn’t attended a single lecture since the date of his admission. Also obtained a diploma from overseas.

Family background: His father is a village-level contractor, while mother is a housewife. No political background.

Political background: His father is a SAD-Akali supporter. However, he is the follower of People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Badal. He was also attached with him during Panjab Elections in 2012.

Dinesh Chauhan

Role in PU: North India University in charge of the ABVP.

Department: Passed out from the Department of Law, Panjab University.

Family background: Family hails from Himachal Pradesh and has no political background.

Political background: Attached with the ABVP since 2010. Manages every minute detail of the campus. Contested on the post of president in 2007. Later, acted as party president of the ABVP. At present, holds a key post in the Centre Working Committee of the ABVP from the north zone.