Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Oct 14: The stage is all set for the student union elections to be held across the state Wednesday. Election fever gripped campuses Tuesday when the various candidates spoke out at the “Why I stand for” meetings.
Rama Devi Women’s University, which is going to hold the election for the first time after being declared the first women’s university in the state, was the centre of long processions Tuesday morning held by different student wings.
The candidates belonging to the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) and those in the other procession led by the National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) thronged the campus which reverberated with the echoes of high-pitched slogans. The processions organised by the two wings featured posh cars and horses.
“We are very much excited about the election. After all, history will remember us as the first voters of the student’s union election held at the university. Rama Devi has its own uniqueness in the state; however, this time it is vastly different,” said Susree Ankita, a student-cum-voter of the institution.
Almost all the posts ranging from the president to the cultural or dramatic secretaries will be contested by candidates at RD while four candidates will contest for the president’s post, two each for the vice-president, general secretary and assistant general secretary posts while three candidates will contest for dramatic secretary’s and two others for the cultural secretary’s posts in the university.
Similarly the political mercury is spiralling at Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar (BJB) Autonomous College where a whopping 42 candidates have expressed their agendas for contesting the student’s union election at the meeting held Tuesday.
In the meeting all the candidates conveyed their motives and interests behind contesting in the election before the students and staff. Notably, there are two candidates contesting for the president’s post, three for the vice-president’s post, two for the general secretary’s post and four for the assistant general secretary’s post at BJB.
All the candidates verbally presented their common agenda – the demand for university tag for the college and renovating of the campus with WI-FI and other modern technology.
“Our college can go from strength to strength but we need proper infrastructure for that. I promise I will solve this basic problem of our college first,” said presidential candidate Aditya Jha.
Similarly, Capital Law College witnessed a loud day with candidates putting all round efforts to lure voters. Slogans, placards and rallies carried out by different groups of candidates keep the premises of different colleges on the boil throughout the day.
A group of candidates entered the campus like mature politicians in open jeeps with garlands on their necks and waving to fellow students. A group of bikers accompanied them shouting slogans in support of the candidates.
As many as 14 candidates expressed their future plans for the development of the departments, college and students during the “Why I Stand for” meeting Tuesday. Where some talked about lack of infrastructure, books, and basic amenities like canteen facility and parking system for bikes and bicycles on the campus.
However, because the results are already known, the ambience at Kamala Nehru Women’s College remained peaceful. The presidential candidate Arundhati Panda has already won as no other candidate is contesting against her for the post while three candidates will contest for the general secretary’s and two for the dramatic secretary’s posts in this college.
Approximately of the total 3,600 voters at Rama Devi, a mere 1,000 are expected to cast their votes on polling day Wednesday. BJB has 3,300 voters and Kamala Nehru 2,000 voters but Capital Law College has a mere 420 voters.
