Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin extended his congratulations to the United Left Panel for their decisive victory in the student polls at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), marking a significant setback for right-wing forces.
In a statement issued on Monday, March 25, Stalin hailed the triumph of the United Left coalition, comprising the All India Students Association (AISA), Democratic Students Federation (DSF), Studentsā Federation of India (SFI), and All India Studentsā Federation (AISF), over the student wing of the RSS, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He characterized the victory as a signal of the decline of right-wing fascist forces and expressed confidence that the people of India would reject the BJP in the upcoming 2024 elections.
The United Left Panel secured three out of four central panel positions in the JNUSU elections held on March 22, clinching victories in the president, vice president, and joint secretary posts. Dhananjay emerged victorious as the president, while Avijit Ghosh and Mohammad Sajid secured the vice president and joint secretary positions, respectively. Notably, Dhananjay’s win marked a historic moment as he became the first Dalit president of JNUSU since Batti Lal Bairwa in 1996-97.
Stalin expressed his admiration for the resilience of the JNU community in the face of challenges, including the ABVP’s alleged violent tactics and the disqualification of Left candidate Swati Singh, who was contesting for the post of general secretary. Despite these obstacles, the JNU community reaffirmed its commitment to its rich tradition by rallying behind the United Left Panel.
Swati Singh’s disqualification prompted the Left to extend its support to Birsa Ambedkar Phule Studentsā Association (BAPSA)ās candidate Priyanshi Arya, who secured a landslide victory against the ABVP candidate Arjun Anand. This collaborative effort underscored the unity and solidarity among progressive forces in JNU.