Hyderabad: After a resounding win at the recently held elections at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus, a victory students’ union conducted a victory march from South Shopcom to Velivada.
The victory march, led by the newly elected Students’ Union (SU) representatives, was conducted on November 4. It was delayed by a week due to the arbitrary recounting for the SU president post declared by the Election Commission (EC). The result of the 2024-25 UoH-SU election was announced on October 25.
UoH student elections: EC calls off recounting, original result prevails
The march covered various departments and hostel buildings with chants of “Jab lal neel jab lal neel bas lal neel lehrayega, tab hosh thikhane hosh thikhane hosh thikhane ayega (When the red and blue waves rise, then consciousness, consciousness, consciousness will return.)” echoing throughout.
UoH elections
For the fourth consecutive time, the Left-Ambedkarite alliance emerged victorious defeating Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), also known as the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The Left-Ambedkarite alliance consist of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), Dalit Students’ Union (DSU), and Bahujan Students’ Front (BSF).
The candidate of the third alliance comprising of MSF(Muslim Students Federation), NSUI(National Students’ Union of India) and AISA(All India Students Association) was elected as SU Sports Secretary.
UoH elections: Left-Ambedkarite alliance clinches fourth consecutive victory
Office-bearers of UoH-SU 2024-25
- A Umesh Ambedkar – President
- Akash Kumar – Vice President
- Nihad Sulaiman – General Secretary
- Triveni – Joint Secretary
- KV Krishnamurthy – Cultural Secretary
- Mangpi – Sports Secretary
Speaking to Siasat.com, newly elected general secretary Nihad Sulaiman termed the elections as crucial for the university when communal elements were trying to include divisive agendas into the university curriculum under the pretext of introducing the new education policy (NEP).
“Dalits and tribal community students are being ignored. Fund cuts and financial institutions like the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) are direct attacks on the inclusive nature of our public universities,” Sulaiman said, adding the newly elected body will resist the neoliberal and communal anti-student policies.
Despite the election results being announced in October, the Election Commission put the president’s election result on hold. Several student organizations condemned the arbitrary nature of the decision, citing violations of the Lyngdoh Commission report and the SU constitution.
On November 2, the recounting was further delayed due to the lack of cooperation making the process reportedly impossible. finally, A Umesh Ambedkar of the SFI- ASA-DSU-BSF alliance was declared the president of 2024-25 UoH-SU by a circular issued by the Dean of Students’ Welfare(DSW) on the same day.
The recent election followed the abrupt dissolution of the previous Students’ Union, which was communicated through a DSW circular issued on October 15. Notably, the election was declared without convening a University General Body Meeting (UGBM), raising questions about the decision-making process leading up to this electoral process. It was widely condemned by several student organisations on campus.
