Team Herald
TALEIGAO: Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) student wing on Friday swept the Goa University Student’s Council (GUSC) elections bagging all nine positions of Chairman, Secretary, Lady Member and six council member posts defeating the panels of the Congress affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) and independent panel Together for Goa University.
Siddesh Naik won the Chairman’s post bagging 55 of 83 votes, Tushar Kelkar won the Secretary’s post with the same margin, while Aditi Narvekar won the Lady Member post
winning 54 votes. Other members of the council will be Nikhita Chopdekar, Santoshi Gupta, Artik Jain, Shweta Moye, Urvesh Velingkar and Raut Desai.
“We were confident of the win. This is our seventh win in a row and we always knew that the youth were with the BJP-backed panel. This is a clear indication that BJP will clinch victory at the upcoming Assembly elections in 2017,” BJP General Secretary Sanket Arsekar said.
As results were declared, celebrations broke out with bursting of crackers and loud music and cheering at the counting venue. BJP supporters lifted the candidates on their shoulders and posed for pictures flashing the victory sign, with flags and party slogans. Last year too, the BJP- backed panel had swept the GUSC elections.
Arsekar further said that the youth have decided to support the BJP-backed panel that understands students’ aspirations and problems. He alleged that NSUI tried to interfere in the election process.
On the other hand, Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar said, “BJP has shown its true colours, they do not want democracy and we as a party had backed the NSUI but not interfered in the student politics, like the BJP leaders do.”
The BJP-backed panel has resolved to focus on attendance, re-evaluation of fee structure, transport problems and other student related issues.
Kelkar, the newly-elected Secretary said, “We have got a majority and this indicates that youth still have faith in BJP. Solving issues of students like re-evaluation and attendance will be our main priority.”
Naik, the new president said, “I am grateful to the student community for supporting the BJP-backed panel in a situation where other panels threatened our supporters. My main priority will be solving the issue of re-evaluation and I am very confident the new Vice Chancellor will agree to our demands.”
He added that they will write to the VC to introduce self defence courses and teacher to student counseling.
Meanwhile, BJP charged NSUI of interfering with the elections and has filed a complaint against NSUI president Ahraz Mulla, for using filthy language and threatening their panel’s university representatives, while the voting was in progress.
Addressing media persons, BJP Yuva Morcha President Sharmad Raiturkar said whatever happened at the Goa University Campus on Friday can be termed as dirty politics and mere drama, as other panels knew they were losing the election.
However, Kawthankar said that the party has decided to file a complaint against the BJPYM for assaulting and abusing Mulla and their candidates. He said that their leaders are not like BJP’s, who have a political motive behind interfering in the student elections.
