SFI Wins Student Union Elections in Rajasthan

The central executive committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has issued the following statement on August 21

THE Central Executive Committee of the Students’ Federation of India congratulates the student community of Rajasthan and also the SFI unit there for its impressive performance in the students union elections held recently. 

The elections to the student unions of 150 colleges and nine universities were held on August 19.

SFI had contested in 84 colleges and two universities (Rajasthan University, Jaipur and Jainarayan Vyas University, Jodhpur). SFI registered its victory in the unions of 44 colleges and one university. These 44 colleges are in 11 districts of Rajasthan.

In Jainarayan Vyas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan’s second largest university, SFI presidential candidate Raveender Singh Ranawat won by a majority of 557 votes. For the joint secretary post SFI candidate Bhawna Solanki defeated her nearest ABVP candidate by a thumping majority of 2180 votes.

In Sikar, Sri Kalyan College, the biggest one in the state (12,000 students) SFI candidates won all the central posts with a huge majority. SFI presidential candidate Subhash Jakhar won by a margin of 951 votes.  Sunita won the vice president post by a margin of 797 votes. The general secretary and joint secretary posts were won by Rakesh Verma and Anwar Khan respectively. The margins of victory were 823 and 904 votes.

In the districts of Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar and Sikar, SFI won in more than 70 per cent of the colleges.

It is to be noted that SFI had been in the forefront of struggles for restoration of students union elections during the BJP rule in the state. Vasundhara Raje government had banned the students union elections after coming to power. The struggle had to be continued in the Congress period also. Though Ashok Gehlot, the Congress chief ministerial candidate had promised then to restore student union elections, in reality it did not happen. The Congress government was in a denial mode and not ready to restore the union elections after coming to power in the last assembly elections.  SFI spearheaded a militant struggle against the Congress government for restoration of democratic rights of the student community throughout the state.  Ultimately the union elections were restored two years ago. It is significant that SFI had won in the Jodhpur University where Ashok Gehlot was once a student leader. He also represents the Jodhpur assembly constituency.

The CEC of SFI once again congratulates the common students of Rajasthan for supporting SFI in a big manner. We also congratulate our state unit of Rajasthan for registering such an impressive victory. The victory in Rajasthan is an inspiration for the entire rank and file of SFI and will strengthen the country wide struggle of the student community for democratic rights.