BJP's grip on Assam's youth appears to weaken as ABVP struggles in student body polls

Guwahati: The popularity of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) among Assam's youth appears to be waning, as evidenced by the recent results of student body polls held in several prominent educational institutes across the state.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organization affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP's parent organization, has experienced a string of setbacks in recent student body elections.

In the Gauhati University Postgraduate Students' Union (PGSU) polls, the ABVP suffered a dismal performance, securing only one position out of the 14 prominent posts. The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), on the other hand, emerged triumphant, capturing eight of the 14 positions. The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the students' wing of the Congress party, managed to secure one position.

The ABVP's struggles continued in the Dibrugarh University Post-Graduate Students' Union (DUPGSU) elections, where they failed to win a single position. Candidates backed by the AASU swept the polls, securing the coveted posts of president, vice-president, and general secretary, among others.

In a significant development, the ABVP refrained from contesting the Cotton University Students' Union (CUSU) elections, reportedly due to their weak organizational base at the university.

The ABVP's lackluster performance extends beyond universities, as they have also drawn blank in most of the students' body polls held in colleges across Guwahati, including Handique Girls' College, Dispur College, Pragjyotish College, and Arya Viyapith College.

The BJP-led Assam government, sensing the growing discontent among the youth, has announced a new fee scheme for students in Dibrugarh University. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently announced that the government would bear 50% of the course fees for students pursuing studies in various centers at Dibrugarh University.

The BJP's dwindling support among Assam's youth could pose a significant challenge to the party in the upcoming 2024 state assembly elections. The recent student body election results serve as a stark reminder that the party's grip on the state's youth is slipping.