Left groups forge grand alliance to take on ABVP in student polls in Uni of Hyderabad

Things are heating up on the campus of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) as students are gearing up for the students union elections. Unlike last year, where the Student Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), had chosen to contest alone, this time, the SFI has forged an alliance with the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), Tribal Students’ Federation (TSF) and Dalit Students’ Union (DSU).

The grand alliance of the Left parties, is aiming to take on the ABVP, the student wing of the RSS, which has decided to keep its alliance intact with two other student groups, namely the Other Backward Classes Federation (OBCF) and the Seva Lal Vidyarthi Dal.

In a statement, the grand alliance said, "UoH is a particular target of right-wing forces. We have been witnessing excessive and rampant use of state machinery in the form of police, in curbing the free and democratic campus space of discussion and debate, dismantling the very idea of a university."

"At a juncture in which anti-student measures have become rampant, it becomes a necessity for progressive and autonomous organisations to come together to resist both the authoritarian university administration and right-wing ABVP and its allies. In this context...we are coming together to strengthen our fight for the rights of the students, to reclaim the democratic space of the campus, and to ensure social justice," it added.

Mentioning the death of PhD scholar Ranjan Suna from Odisha, who succumbed to dengue in November last year, the statement added, "The university being tagged with excellence and now 'eminence' has failed to even facilitate the continuous availability of basic amentities such as potable water, quality food, and proper health and sanitation facilities."

"In our very own university, none can forget the role of Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya in the institutional murder of Rohit Vemula...to further the Brahmincal, neo-liberal and communal agendas, the BJP led central government has been continuously implementing various anti-student measures in higher educational institutions," the statement added.

The SFI has nominated Abhishek Nandan for the post of President, while the ABVP has nominated Phani Krishna. Meanwhile, organisations like the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) and Muslim Students Front are contesting together, for the post of President and Vice-President. The Bahujan Students Front (BSF) has extended its support to the SIO candidate for President and to the alliance for the other posts.

Voting will be held on September 26 and results will be announced a day later, on September 27.

In October last year, the ABVP alliance had swept the students' union elections, bagging all six posts of office bearers at the varsity.

Following the death of Rohith Vemula in 2016, there was a split amongst progressive groups on campus, as the ASA had accused the Left groups of betraying the 'Justice for Rohith' movement, and failing to offer key posts to Dalit students.

However, considering the ABVP's clean sweep of the polls last year, it seems that the two groups have now stitched up an alliance again, in order to defeat the ruling union.