Goa University postpones student elections as BJP youth factions clash

PANAJI: The Goa University student council 2019-20 elections saw the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and BJP’s student wing at loggerheads on Friday following the university postponing the poll. The two factions blamed GU for it.
Students had already gathered at the campus, when the university authorities postponed the election saying a new date would be announced later. ABVP said it was because they were in a winning position that the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) employed political pressure and tactics to postpone the election.
“It is clear that Goa University has bowed to political pressure of BJYM and postponed the election. Having realised the severe defeat, BJYM did not have the courage even to face the election. Therefore, it chose to escape and found a safe passage of postponing the election itself,” ABVP candidate Sankalp Phaldessai told reporters.
Phaldessai said that ABVP had condemned the use of political power and sponsorship in student elections and made a representation to the vice-chancellor on August 13 demanding cancellation of elections on the ground of political sponsorship. “ABVP’s representation was turned down by the Grievance Redressal Cell and ABVP was informed on August 14 itself that their representation is rejected and that the election will be conducted on August 16, as scheduled,” he said. The ABVP candidate said that, at 10.30am, the director of students welfare telephonically informed them that the election has been adjourned.
BJYM state president Pranay Mainkar denied all the allegations made by ABVP. “We only appealed to the vice chancellor against the university rejecting the form of Mohit Narendra Naik from MES College, who was the seconder for our candidate Shubham Subhash Phaldessai from GMC. The university said Naik had not submitted his expenditure statement, but he did, and had even gotten an acknowledgement by the university for it. Why should a candidate suffer the lapse between the college and university,” Mainkar said.
He alleged that ABVP is supported by National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and GFP. “We have been winning elections for the past nine years. We were ready to hold elections even today evening provided Shubham’s candidature was made eligible,” he added.
ABVP fielded eight candidates for the nine-member council comprising a chairperson, secretary, lady member among other members, while the BJYM fielded nine candidates. Goa university registrar, when contacted, told TOI to contact Dattesh Parulekar, director of students welfare, whose phone was switched off.