Bhubaneswar: Student organisations across Odisha have begun mobilising supporters and finalising strategies as campus polls return to degree colleges and state public universities after an eight-year gap. Campuses have started witnessing increased activity ahead of the elections, with campaigning expected to intensify after colleges and universities issue official notifications on Wednesday to begin the poll process.At Rajdhani College in Bhubaneswar, students celebrated govt’s announcement, while aspirants distributed food items, including biryani, to fellow students to woo voters. Students at BJB Autonomous College also gathered on the premises and thanked the govt and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the decision.At Khallikote Unitary University in Berhampur, aspirants for various students’ union posts distributed sweets and celebrated with fireworks. However, tension broke out later after an altercation between two groups of students over the elections led to a scuffle. Pre-poll unrest was also reported from NC College in Jajpur over the alleged entry of non-students into the campus.The announcement has triggered a political slugfest, with opposition-backed student organisations criticising the delay in declaring the poll schedule and the ruling BJP claiming credit for fulfilling its promise to revive student union elections.The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) and other student organisations criticised the timing of the announcement. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), however, welcomed the move, saying govt had honoured its commitment.NSUI state president Bibhuti Bhusan Mohapatra, addressing a news conference in Bhubaneswar, said the higher education department had not mentioned student union elections in its academic calendar at the start of the academic session. “Odisha govt has suddenly announced campus elections, giving aspirants only a few days to prepare. This is a conspiracy against student organisations other than ABVP. That organisation was informed much earlier,” Mohapatra alleged.He said NSUI would contest the elections with full force. “We have been fighting for the restoration of campus polls for the last eight years. Now we will take part in the elections and put up a good performance,” he said.BCJD state president Ipsita Sahoo said the organisation would treat the short-notice announcement as a challenge and demonstrate its strength in the polls. Odisha BJP youth wing president Abhilash Panda said those who had been demanding campus elections were now trying to “escape from the battlefield” by claiming that the polls had been announced at short notice.ABVP organised a procession in Bhubaneswar to thank Odisha govt and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi for announcing the students’ union elections this year. BJP state general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy said the previous govt had taken away the democratic rights of students. “Our govt has restored those rights. Opposition parties are making lame excuses instead of thanking govt,” Tripathy said.
