JNUSU elections: ABVP makes a strong comeback after a decade, what went wrong for the Left?

Time of India

29-04-2025

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
(ABVP) made a strong comeback at the Jawarlal Nehru University, a left bastion, after a decade. Even though the left alliance of AISA and DSF retained the posts of president, vice-president and general secretary, their victory margins were close. It was a win by just 272 votes for president, 34 for vice-president and 114 for general secretary.
ABVP
clinched the post of joint secretary by a margin of 85 votes.
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The margins last year were wider when AISA, SFI, AISF and DSF contested together, with the difference between the United Left's presidential candidate and ABVP's being 982 votes, that for vice-president being 755 votes, for general secretary 998 votes and for joint secretary, 397 votes. NOTA votes rose from 894 last year to 1,023 this year, indicating a changing trend in student politics.
The Left was split this time, SFI forming a separate alliance with a faction of BAPSA, AISF and PSA. This critically affected the anti-ABVP vote. If the Left had been united like last year, it would not only have won with bigger margins, but would also have clinch the one lost seat. SFI-BAPSA's presidential candidate Tayabba secured 918 votes, while its general secretary nominee Ramnivas won 675 votes, These numbers suggest that the victory margin would have widened when added to the United Left's tally.
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However, ABVP's performance cannot go under the radar. If its claims to wining nearly half of the councillor seats is true, there could be a majr shift in
JNU
's campus politics. United Left has refuted the claim and has accused ABVP of inflating its numbers by including independent candidates in its tally.
This time, it was not just sciences and management schools, which have been traditional ABVP strongholds, that tilted in its favour. The organisation also won in Left-dominated School of International Studies and School of Social Sciences, securing four of 10 cumulative seats.
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Last time the RSS-affiliated organisation won a central post in
JNUSU
was in 2016. The left had completely dominated since then.
One of the major reasons for the changing dynamics is the evolving student demographics. Since JNU adopted CUET, the centralised entrance exam system, new student batches are often seen as less ideologically driven and more diverse in their backgrounds. Most do not see themselves aligning with Left politics, giving an opportunity for ABVP to exploit. Another important factor was ABVP's ability to navigate the internal divisions within the Left.
Additionally, the Northeast factor played a significant role this year. Students from the Northeast thought that they were inadequately represented by both the left and right and decided to field their own independent presidential candidate, Yari Nayam. They had felt let down after the Barak Hostel, which they claimed was exclusively built for Northeast students, was opened up for others. In the election, Nayam secured 1,184 votes, which a considerable number.
ABVP's Vaibhav secured a close win for joint secretary, having got 1,518 votes to PSA's Nigam who secured 1,256 votes. The 85-vote margin showed how close the race was and how the fragmented Left votes benefited ABVP.
The fresher batch also played an important role. New students, less tied to older ideological loyalties and more focused on practical campus issues, were swing voters. Their preference for alternatives to the traditional Left could have resulted in greater ABVP numbers, not only in the central panel but also in councillor elections.
The 2025 JNUSU elections signal a massive shift in JNU's political landscape. While the Left has retained key posts, its once-unassailable grip on the student union's power structure has been weakened. ABVP's rise seems to mark the beginning of more equal contests in the university.