Guwahati: Aasu-backed candidate Arunav Duarah was elected president of Gauhati University Postgraduate Students’ Union (PGSU), as Aasu and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won most of the 18 posts in the students’ body.The results were declared late on Friday night, following which Aasu supporters celebrated with a victory march on the university campus, raising slogans and beating drums. Aasu president Utpal Sarma also visited the campus to congratulate the winning candidates. Aasu secured seven of the 18 posts, while ABVP won six.“Huge victory for Aasu at Gauhati University. Aasu-supported candidates won multiple positions, including president of the Postgraduate Students’ Union. It is worth noting that elections for the post of general secretary have not been held yet; the democratic struggle is ongoing,” Sarma wrote in a social media post.Apart from Duarah, Aasu candidates Abantika Mahanta won the post of literary secretary, Neel Kamal Baruah was elected cultural secretary, Jyotirmoy Das secured the post of boys’ common room secretary, and Anushka Medhi won the post of girls’ common room secretary.Dubari Saikia and Rajib Baro of Aasu were elected unopposed as music secretary and postgraduate sports secretary, respectively.Elections for the posts of general secretary and social service secretary were postponed following a controversy over the rejection of the nomination papers of two candidates for each post. A section of students protested, arguing that the nominations were valid and questioning the election process. Gauhati University officials said elections for the two posts would be held soon.ABVP-backed candidates won several other posts, including assistant general secretary (PG), assistant general secretary (UG), fine arts secretary (UG), debate and symposia secretary, and minor games secretary. The winners were Krishtina Lahon, Vrishank Jyoti Dutta, Krishti Saikia, Partha Protim Bharaluwa and Sudeep Seal, respectively.ABVP also claimed Mehtab Uddin Ahmed, who was elected unopposed as undergraduate sports secretary, as its candidate. Bharaluwa and Seal were also elected unopposed.Meanwhile, Amartya Duarah, an Assam Chhatra Parishad candidate, won the vice-president’s post, while Ranbow Narzary was elected gymnasium secretary and Suman Sahil Pegu secured the post of major games secretary.Gauhati University results add to Aasu’s gains in campus politics after candidates backed by the students’ organisation secured several top leadership positions in Cotton University Students’ Union elections, the results of which were declared on Thursday.Aasu-backed Hari Prasad Chetia was elected president, while Ujjal Deka won the general secretary’s post at Cotton University.
