Janta Dal United scripted history after a record win in four key offices of seats of president, vice president, joint secretary and treasurer leaving one seat of general secretary for Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Patna University students’ union (PUSU) elections on Saturday.
While the PUSU poll was record-winning for JDU, it was a setback for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) which failed to get any success. It was the same election from where RJD founder Lalu Prasad Yadav started his political career in 1973.
The four elected JDU leaders of PUSU are Anand Mohan (president), Ravikant (vice-president), Sandhya (secretary) and Ravikant (treasurer). The lone seat of general secretary went to BJP-backed Vipul. While JDU and RJD have formed the government in Bihar as Mahagathbandhan however they contested the election against each other in the PUSU.
“I congratulate all Patna University students for choosing the right leaders, JDU’s winning in the university election shows that CM Nitish Kumar is popular among youths. We are providing employment to the youths which The Center has failed to provide,” said JDU national president Lalan Singh.
On Saturday, nearly 24,000 students from Patna University’s various colleges voted. There were 36 candidates in total. Prior to the elections, elaborate security arrangements were also put in place. However, some people who attempted to disrupt the election process fired and pelted stones during the voting process.
“RJD’s failure to win even a single seat in the Patna University Students Union election demonstrated how students rejected the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who refers to himself as a youth leader,” said BJP spokesperson Arvind Kumar Singh
Patna University is a cradle of politics that has given birth to many politicians who are in present ruling in The Center and state over the decades. Politicians like BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD National President Lalu Prasad Yadav and others are the products of Patna University.
Patna University Students’ Union election has an interesting history, the election was discontinued many times. In 1980 when student politics took a violent turn there was no student election after 1986 for more than 2 decades. After 2012 student elections were again discontinued for 5 years and then held in 2018. The last election was held in 2019. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, this time election is held after a gap of 3 years.