The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) emerged as the leading force in Odisha’s student union elections, winning in seven of the state’s 13 universities, including Utkal University, as the first campus polls in eight years saw the BJD’s student wing, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), secure victories in four universities.
The results were mixed in the remaining two universities, while voter turnout remained poor, with polling in some universities, such as Berhampur University, recording less than 10% participation.
The elections, held on Thursday, saw intense campaigning and mobilisation of first-time voters, with the ABVP and BCJD locked in a keen contest across campuses. The exercise also saw clashes, allegations of unfair practices and charges that the state government favoured ABVP candidates.
According to the higher education department, 6,649 candidates contested elections in 325 colleges and 13 state universities.
The ABVP claimed victory in more than 60% of the 325 colleges that went to polls, though the final tally across colleges was not immediately available.
At Utkal University in Bhubaneswar, the state’s oldest university, the ABVP won seven of the nine posts, including president and general secretary. The Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) secured the vice-president and joint general secretary posts.
The elections were held amid allegations by the BCJD that the government had cancelled polls in colleges where the BJD’s student wing was better placed, while opposition parties accused the ruling BJP of using its influence to tilt the contest in favour of the ABVP. Clashes were reported at several colleges and universities during the election process.
Regular student union elections were last held in 2017. Polls were disrupted the following year due to Cyclone Titli and were not held in 2019 amid campus violence. The Covid-19 pandemic further prolonged the suspension.
Reacting to the polls, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi accused the previous BJD government of keeping student elections suspended for political reasons and denying students their democratic rights. “Our government fulfilled its promise to the student community by successfully conducting the elections and restoring the spirit of democracy on campuses,” Majhi said in a social media post. Congratulating the newly elected representatives, he expressed confidence that they would uphold the trust of fellow students, strengthen democratic values and contribute to building a developed Odisha.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik, meanwhile, said the outcome reflected the unity and determination of the state’s youth, while accusing the BJP government of trying to influence the elections. “I commend all the members of BJD and BCJD who stood firmly against the BJP government’s conspiracy to win the student union election through injustice and unfair means,” Patnaik wrote on X, urging students to work towards maintaining a healthy academic environment.
Former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said success and failure were part of life and expressed hope that the elected student leaders would help maintain the academic environment in their institutions and develop into responsible individuals.
For political parties, the campus polls were an opportunity to strengthen their connect with Gen Z voters ahead of panchayat and urban body polls next year. The elections also carry institutional significance, as the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, which came into force in April 2025, provides for the president and secretary of a university students’ union to become members of its Senate.