Ankit Bidhan of ABVP wins Panjab University presidency

Ankit Bidhan, representing the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has won the presidency of the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC). This victory allows the ABVP to retain the president’s post for a second consecutive term.

Bidhan secured his win with a margin of approximately 500 to 556 votes, defeating rivals such as Adil Brar of the ASAP student wing and Gurman Singh Sidhu of the NSUI. The election saw participation from a significant number of Gen Z voters from across Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

A key factor in the result was the support provided by the Students’ Organisation of India (SOI), the student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), after its own presidential candidate’s nomination was rejected. This alliance between the ABVP and SOI has drawn political attention amid speculation regarding potential future alignments between the BJP and SAD for upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

Bidhan, a PhD research scholar at the university, characterized the result as a “victory for the entire Gen-Z community,” stating it reflects faith in the ABVP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.