Chandigarh: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP, has created history by winning the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) presidential election for the first time in 48 years.
Gaurav Veer Sohal, a researcher at the University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), secured 3,147 votes and defeated his nearest rival Sumit Sharma of the Students’ Front and Alliance by 514 votes. Sharma polled 2,631 votes.
Sohal contested the elections in alliance with INSO and HRSC. While the alliance bagged the top post, it fell behind in other key positions including vice-president, secretary and joint secretary.
After the win, Sohal said, “I am happy that the hard work of my team has paid off. Many questions were raised on ABVP’s proximity to the university authorities but I declare clearly and loudly that we will fight for the rights of the students no matter who we are associated with.”
Last year, the ABVP presidential candidate had finished third. The BJP-backed group entered the council after 12 years by winning the joint secretary’s post without an alliance.
In 2013, ABVP had won the vice-president’s post in alliance with Punjab University Students’ Union (PUSU) and INSO, while in 2010 it secured the secretary’s post in alliance with Student Organisation of Punjab University (SOPU).
