Bhubaneswar: The student union polls spilled beyond campus walls, with chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday trading barbs on social media as Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and BJD’s student wing Biju Chhatra Janatal Dal (BCJD) battled for supremacy.Eight years after student union elections were last held in Odisha, campuses turned into vibrant political battlegrounds as the ABVP, the RSS student wing, and BCJD engaged in a fiercely contested, lavishly funded and closely watched electoral showdown. The contest on Thursday unfolded amid colourful campaigning, aggressive outreach and intense mobilisation of first-time voters, drawing attention well beyond college gates.While ABVP won the maximum number of campuses, BCJD emerged a close second and secured victories in key institutions, including Ravenshaw University in Cuttack and Rama Devi Women’s University in Bhubaneswar, among others.
An ABVP victory procession in Bhubaneswar
Reacting to the elections, Majhi alleged that the previous govt had kept student union polls suspended to serve its political interests, depriving students of their democratic voice. “Our government fulfilled its promise to the student community by successfully conducting the elections and restoring the spirit of democracy on campuses,” he said in a social media post.Congratulating the newly elected student representatives across colleges and universities, Majhi wrote, “I am confident that they will uphold the trust of their fellow students, discharge their responsibilities with sincerity and integrity, strengthen democratic values on campuses and contribute meaningfully towards building a Viksit Odisha.”Naveen, on the other hand, said the outcome reflected the dedication and unity of Odisha’s Gen Z, youth and student power, while accusing the BJP govt of attempting to influence the polls. “I commend all the members of BJD and BCJD who stood firmly against the BJP govt’s conspiracy to win the student union election through injustice and unfair means. Let us all unite to move forward in maintaining the academic environment of the college and shaping a bright future for the students,” he posted on X.Countering Naveen, BJD MLA Irasis Acharya said it was the former chief minister who had conspired to keep students away from the democratic process by suspending union elections since 2018. However, govt led by Majhi resumed the process. Acharya said student union elections help sensitise the younger generation about democracy and groom future leaders.With mainstream parties sharpening their focus on Gen Z and millennial voters ahead of the panchayat and urban local body elections scheduled for March-April next year, the student polls are being seen as a key political barometer. More than a fight for campus leadership, they offer an early glimpse into the mood of a new generation of voters and could serve as a crucial tee-off point for larger electoral contests in the months ahead.Political analysts said the enthusiasm shown by top political leaders during this year’s campus polls was aimed at signalling support among Gen Z voters at a time when youth-led protests against the establishment in Delhi and other parts of the country have attracted attention. “While the prolonged gap in student polls has added to the excitement, parties clearly want to showcase that youths are with them,” said Jayant Mohapatra, a retired political science professor.
