ABVP wins Panjab University polls for second straight year with Akali Dal backing
Synopsis
For the first time in Panjab University's history, the ABVP has won the campus student union president's post two years running — and this time with the Akali Dal's student wing crossing the aisle to back them. The cross-party tactical alliance, formed just 48 hours before polling, may redefine student political arithmetic in Chandigarh.
Key Takeaways
ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan won the Panjab University Campus Students' Council presidential election on 31 August by over 500 votes .
This is the first time in the university's history that ABVP has won the top student post in two consecutive years .
The Student Organisation of India (SOI) , student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal , backed the ABVP nominee a day before polling.
PUDF's Armaan Singh Bhinder won Vice-President; Independents Dhyan Singh and Vishal Bamal took Secretary and Joint Secretary posts.
Around 16,500 students were eligible to vote — 344 more than last year; scuffles between students and police were reported at a polling station.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidate Ankit Bidhan on Monday, 31 August won the presidential post of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council elections by a margin of over 500 votes, marking the first time in the university's history that the ABVP has captured the top student post in two consecutive years. The victory came in a four-cornered contest and was bolstered by last-minute support from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)'s student wing.
Key Developments
A day before polling, the Student Organisation of India (SOI) — the student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal — extended its support to the ABVP nominee, a tactical alliance that analysts say proved decisive in the final count. The contest for the top post featured Gurman Singh Sidhu of the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Aadil Bir Singh of the AAP-backed ASAP, Darshpreet Singh of Sath, and Bidhan.
For the remaining posts, PUDF's Armaan Singh Bhinder won the Vice-President position, while Independent candidates Dhyan Singh and Vishal Bamal claimed the Secretary and Joint Secretary posts respectively. A total of 16 candidates contested across the four posts.
What the Winner Said
'This is not my victory alone; it is the victory of the entire Gen Z,' said Bidhan after the results were declared. He added that the outcome demonstrated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ABVP hold a place in the hearts of the younger generation.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B L Santosh congratulated the ABVP on X, writing: 'ABVP's Sri Ankit Bidhan wins the Punjab University Student Union President's elections convincingly, second time in a row. SOI also supported the ABVP nominee in the last 48 hours. Congratulations to Sri Ankit Bidhan and @ABVPVoice for the stupendous victory.'
Voter Turnout and Polling Day Incidents
Approximately 16,500 students were eligible to vote, including 9,000 women voters and one transgender voter — a total 344 more than in the previous year's election. However, polling day was not without controversy: students protested, alleging they were not given adequate time to cast their votes, and scuffles were reported between students and police personnel at at least one polling station.
Outgoing ABVP president Gaurav Veer Singh Sohal said the organisation had formally approached authorities seeking an extension of polling hours, noting that voter turnout was expected to be lower than usual due to the long weekend.
Results Beyond the Main Campus
In affiliated college elections held on the same day, Abhiraj Singh won the president's post at GGDSD College, Sector 32, while Parminder Singh secured the president's post at Post Graduate Government College, Sector 46.
The back-to-back ABVP wins at Panjab University signal a consolidating grip on campus politics in the region, even as opposition student outfits — backed by the Congress and AAP — mount increasingly organised challenges. How the new council addresses student grievances around polling logistics will be an early test of Bidhan's leadership.
Point of View
Transactional nature of post-2022 Punjab opposition politics. For the ABVP, two consecutive wins at a university that has historically been contested terrain is a significant organisational signal. But the polling-day protests and reported scuffles are a reminder that student elections in Chandigarh carry real grievances beneath the party banners — and the incoming council will be measured by how it handles them, not just who it beat.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Panjab University student union president election in 2025?
ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan won the Panjab University Campus Students' Council presidential election on 31 August 2025, defeating rivals from the NSUI, AAP-backed ASAP, and Sath by a margin of over 500 votes.
Why is this ABVP win historically significant?
It is the first time in Panjab University's history that the ABVP has won the top student union post in two consecutive years, consolidating the organisation's hold on one of north India's most competitive campus election battlegrounds.
Which parties contested the Panjab University election?
The main contest for the president's post was between the ABVP, the Congress-backed NSUI, the AAP-backed ASAP, and the Sath organisation. The Shiromani Akali Dal's student wing SOI withdrew and backed the ABVP a day before polling.
What incidents were reported on polling day?
Students protested, alleging insufficient time to cast their votes, and scuffles were reported between students and police at a polling station. The outgoing ABVP president said the organisation had sought an extension of polling hours from authorities.
How many students were eligible to vote in the election?
Approximately 16,500 students were eligible to vote, including 9,000 women voters and one transgender voter — an increase of 344 from the previous year's election.
