SFI Marks Crucial Victories in Students Union Elections in Rajasthan

The left-wing Students' Federation of India (SFI) has made crucial inroads in the student politics of Rajasthan with significant victories in the Students Union elections held in various colleges and universities.

SFI has won the President post in 17 colleges in Rajasthan, a State where the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has hitherto held sway. Apart from these 17 colleges, SFI won the President post unopposed in four other colleges. It won office-bearer posts other than the President post in five more colleges.

Mahipal Singh, the SFI Rajasthan State Secretary, said that the victory of the organisation was an indication of student support for the struggles led by SFI.

SFI had led struggles demanding college admission to all students who passed school ("Paas kiya to pravesh do"), the filling of vacant academic and non-academic posts, and the indexation of scholarships with inflation.

SFI candidate Mahendra Sharma won the President post in Nehru Memorial Government College, Hanumangarh. In Sikar, SFI won the President post in Government Arts College in Sikar, defeating the ABVP. SFI candidate Sarita Thalod was elected the President in Shri Kalyan Girls College, Sikar. SFI's President candidate Narpat Meghwal won as President in Government College, Phalodi, Jodhpur district, defeating the ABVP which has been winning in the college for seven years. SFI also won the Vice-President and General Secretary posts in the college. Amra Ram of SFI has won the President post in Didwana College, Nagore.

Vishanaram Godara of SFI was elected as President in MD College, Bajju, Bikaner. The organisation won the President post in Achiever College in Nohar, Hanumangarh. SFI also won in Dixit College at Vijay Nagar, Ganganagar, and Parashuram Dungrana College, Bhadra, and the Girls' College at Taranagar, Churu.

Meanwhile the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), the students' wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said that the organisation has won the President post in 7 colleges. Two colleges in Suratgarh and the Government College, Gangapur city are among the colleges where the CYSS has claimed victory.

The students union elections in Rajasthan were held in two stages, on 28 August and 4 September.