Hyderabad: The alliance comprising the Student Federation of India (SFI), Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), Dalit Students Union (DSU) and the Tribal Student Fede-ration (TSF) swept the students union elections in the University of Hyderabad, bagging all six postions.
Abhishek Nandan (SFI) was elected president, M. Sree Charan (DSU) vice-president, Gopi Swamy (ASA) general secretary, Rathod Pradeep (TSF) joint secretary, Sohel Ahmed (SFI) sports secretary post and Priyanka Badrasetty from ASA was elected cultural secretary.
A total of 24 candidates were in the fray for different positions, including five for president.
The alliance also won most of the school board and councillor posts. This year ASA-DSU-SFI-TSF alliance and the ABVP-OBCF-SLVD were the main opposing sides who contested for all posts.
Puttapaga Sai Sree of the DSU was elected integrated representative of the GS-CASH (ICC), Kalaivani J. (ASA) PG representative and Indira Tayeng (SFI) as research scholars' representative.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mr Nandan said, "In the past one year the university campus witnessed anti-student moves from the administration, the government, MHRD (Union ministry of human resource development) and UGC (Uni-versity Grants Commis-sion). After witnessing this, the students elected the people who genuinely work for their welfare.
He said the front was opposing self-finance courses and grade autonomy, among others.
"After three rounds of counting, our candidates have a majority of more than 600 votes. There is an attack on democracy on campus by right wing forces and we will confront it," Mr Nandan said.
Commenting on future plans, he said, "We will try to stop the self-finance courses which will loot the students of their money and try to provide access to basic infrastructure which should be in present in a public-funded institution like the UoH."
"There are attacks on freedom of expression. Through debates and discussions we are planning to ensure that there is freedom of expression in campus," he said.
"The mandate is a reassurance by the student community of their commitment to the struggle for seeking justice for Rohith Vemula by continuing the struggle against the exclusionary policies of the BJP-led centre in higher educational institutions," said Gopi Swamy, who was elected general secretary.
