In a boost to the Congress, its student wing, the National Students Union of India, won three key posts out of four of the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) polls, the results of which were declared here tonight.
Jashan Kamboj of the NSUI won the post of president of the PUCSC by defeating his nearest rival, Students for Society (SFS) candidate Hassanpreet Kaur by a huge margin of 611 votes. Jashan polled 2801 votes.
The post of vice president and office secretary went to Karanvir Singh and Vani Sood of the NSUI, an official said here. The fourth post of joint secretary went to PUSU alliance candidate Karanbir Singh.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala congratulated the NSUI over the victory.
"I congratulate team @nsui for their huge victory in the Punjab University polls. #PUpolls2017," Amarinder said in a tweet.
"Congrats @nsui for a resounding victory in Punjab Univ as ABVP/INSO fail to open their account. Youth for Congress!" Surjewala tweeted.
Ajay Chikkara, the national general secretary of the NSUI, also congratulated the student leaders for putting up an impressive performance. The NSUI made a comeback with a resounding victory at the PUCSC polls after two years.
The PUSU-led alliance had swept the polls in 2016.
As many as 28 candidates were in the fray. This time, 15,602 students on campus were eligible to vote.
In the multi-cornered contest, seven students vied for the post of president, four for vice president, eight for secretary and nine for joint secretary.
Newly elected president, Jashan, who belongs to Ferozepur, said he dedicated his win to the students and the NSUI.
"We were hopeful that we will make a comeback this time after about two years," he said.
After the results, celebrations broke out in the campus, with many students offering 'ladoos' to the winning candidates.
Tight security arrangements were made by the police to prevent any untoward incident on the campus. No outsider was allowed to enter the campus on the polling day today.
The polling began at 10 am and ended at 12 pm.
NSUI alliance fielded Jashan, ABVP Avinash Pandey, SFS Hassanpreet and PUSU alliance Kuldeep Samagh for the post of president.
The NSUI fought polls in an alliance with Gandhi Group Students Union (GGSU), Himachal Students Union (HIMSU), Hindustan Students Association (HSA) and factions of PUSU for Students (PFS).
The Akhil Bhartiya Viyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP, fielded one candidate only for the post of president.
The left-leaning the Students for Society (SFS) put up candidates on the all the four seats.
Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) had an alliance with Pal Pehalwan Students Organsiation, National Students Organisation (NSO) and the Indian Students Association.
Another student's outfit the Students Organisation of India (SOI), the youth wing of Shiromani Akali Dal, entered into an alliance with the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) and Panjab University Helping Hand (PUHH).
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