The JNU election results for the 2024-25 academic session reflect a continued dominance of the Left alliance in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), with AISA and DSF securing three out of the four top posts. However, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) marked a significant resurgence, winning the post of Joint Secretary after a decade-long drought and making notable inroads in the campus elections.
Left Alliance Secures Key Positions
In the fiercely contested elections, Nitish Kumar from AISA was elected President, Manisha from DSF won the Vice-President post, and Munteha Fatima, also from DSF, secured the position of General Secretary. Despite this strong performance by the Left alliance, the ABVP put up a strong challenge, especially in the central panel positions. The ABVP led in all four central panel contests for a significant portion of the day but ultimately fell short in the President, Vice-President, and General Secretary races. The close margins, however, indicate a shift in campus politics and the growing influence of ABVP.
ABVP Makes a Historic Comeback
ABVP, while unable to clinch the top posts, made history by winning the post of Joint Secretary with Vaibhav Meena emerging victorious. This win marks ABVP’s first success in this position in over a decade and signals a major turning point for the organization. Additionally, ABVP made strong gains in the councillor elections, winning 23 out of 42 seats — its best performance since 1999. The organization’s success in the School of Engineering, along with significant gains in other departments like Social Sciences, International Studies, and Sanskrit, indicates its growing influence across different sectors of the campus.
This marked improvement for ABVP has injected fresh energy into campus politics, with supporters calling the results a “turning point.” They believe the strong performance in the central panel elections and the expansion at the school and centre levels are just the beginning of a broader shift in JNU’s political landscape.
Newly elected leaders expressed a strong commitment to addressing student concerns and continuing their advocacy for student rights. Nitish Kumar, the new President, assured students that their voices would be heard and that their welfare would be a priority. Similarly, the newly elected Vice President, Manisha, and General Secretary, Munteha Fatima, vowed to continue representing students and fighting for their rights. Meanwhile, Vaibhav Meena, the Joint Secretary-elect from ABVP, expressed optimism for future success, emphasizing that this victory was just the first step toward a greater impact in upcoming elections.
