PU Polls: Papers filed, poll scene shifts to Stu-C

Deepankar Sharda

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Chandigarh, October 12

Slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jo Bole Sau Nihaal” resonated Student Centre (Stu-C) at Panjab University as candidates addressed students and held rallies around it today.

This central point of the PU campus was abuzz with electioneering activity as groups introduced their presidential candidates and listed their promises after filing nominations. While the process of filing nominations was over at 10.30 am, the representatives of various political groups started reaching Stu-C in the afternoon, the time when most students visit the spot to have lunch.

“It was necessary to address a gathering at this spot, especially after filing nominations. It’s one of the most prominent spots on the campus. We gave a brief introduction of our party, which is contesting the elections as a students’ political group for the first time,” said Maninder of Sath.

“Since open house debates are no longer permitted on the campus, addressing students from the ramp of the DSW building (at Stu-C) is one of the perfect ways to grab their attention. We have seen leaders making speeches from the same spot earlier also,” said Atambir Singh, a supporter of the Students Organisation of India (SOI).

“We planned to launch our party’s panel and that was the perfect moment. We decided to take out a small rally around Stu-C as students gathered there in large numbers,” said Anup Bhardwaj, a supporter of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

SOI remembers Middukhera

The SOI unit of Panjab University remembered one of its founding members, Vicky Middukhera, who was murdered in August 2021. Before starting their address, the party workers remembered Middukhera, who was once a prominent face during the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) elections. As many as 42 candidates filed their papers for the post of president on Wednesday. The final list of the candidates will be out on Thursday afternoon after withdrawals. For a total of 78 departments on the campus, 117 candidates have filed nominations for department representatives.

Merger of parties soon

Merger of various political groups is likely to be announced on Thursday. Sources claimed the majority of the political parties were trying to join hands with regional (Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh) groups to contest the elections. As per past the trend, large political parties join hands with small ones on a seat sharing basis.

Students protest paper cancellation

The University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) and the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) witnessed protests by students after nominations of some candidates were cancelled. The students alleged that the authorities intentionally cancelled those nominations in order to support a particular group.

Major parties in the fray

PUSU, SFS, SOPU, ABVP, NSUI, INSO, CYSS, SOI, AISA, ISA, PFUS, NSO, HPSU, HIMSU, SAP, HSA, ‘Sath’