Chandigarh: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the coed wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), received the publish of the president to the Panjab College’s Campus College students’ Council (PUCSC) for the primary time in 5 a long time.

ABVP’s Gaurav Veer Sohal, a analysis scholar of the College Institute of Authorized Research (UILS), received the publish comfortably, defeating his nearest contender Sumit Sharma of the College students Entrance by a margin of over 500 votes.

The presidential candidate of the Congress’ scholar wing, the Nationwide College students Union of India (NSUI), got here in third. Final yr, the NSUI had clinched the vice-president’s publish.

Final yr, the ABVP’s presidential candidate got here third. In 2023, ABVP’s Jaswinder Rana had received as joint secretary. That is the primary time that the RSS and BJP-backed scholar organisation has received the president’s publish in PU campus elections since 1977 when the primary direct voting system started within the college. Earlier than 1977, the campus scholar council was chosen from amongst division representatives.

In the meantime, the Aam Aadmi Get together’s (AAP) scholar wing Affiliation of College students for Different Politics (ASAP) had fielded two candidates for the place of the president and the overall secretary, however misplaced each.

In 2022, the AAP scholar wing, then known as the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), had made historical past when its candidate Ayush Khatkar received the highest place. Final yr, its presidential candidate Prince Chaudhary got here in second. For these elections, the ASAP tied up with the College Pupil Organisation (USO), the Himachal Pradesh College students Union (HPSU) and the Panjab College College students Union (PUSU).

Voting happened Wednesday. College Institute of Engineering and Expertise (UIET) has essentially the most variety of voters at 2,535 adopted by College Institute of Authorized Research (UILS) with 1,921 votes and the Division of Legal guidelines at 1,094.

BJP hails victory

Gaurav tallied 3,148 votes, whereas Sumit secured 2,660 votes. Sumit, a scholar of the division of geography, was vying for a ticket from NSUI however broke away to affix the College students Entrance. Final yr, Anurag Dalal had left the NSUI on comparable grounds and contested independently and went on to bag the president’s publish.

The ABVP had contested these elections in alliance with the Indian Nationwide College students Organisation (INSO) and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Affiliation (HSRA). The College students Entrance, alternatively, had tied up with the ABVP Entrance, a breakaway faction of the ABVP, the Himachal Pradesh College students Union (HIMSU), the Punjab College College students Union (PUSU) and College students of Punjab College (SOPU).

BJP nationwide normal secretary Tarun Chugh and BJP state president Sunil Jakhar hailed the outcomes that have been extensively shared within the information.

Historic Victory!

For the very first time, ABVP has created historical past in Panjab College!

Gauravveer Sohal has been elected because the President, marking a brand new starting.

This victory is not only of 1 candidate, however of ideology, nationalism, and scholar energy.

Heartiest… pic.twitter.com/A74DAHV42L

— Tarun Chugh (@tarunchughbjp) September 3, 2025

ABVP has scripted historical past by profitable the election for the Presidentship of Punjab College College students’ Concil for the primary time in 48 years. Heartiest congratulations to Gaurav Veer Sohal on turning into the President of PUSC and kudos to the whole ABVP staff for this nice victory.

— Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) September 3, 2025

Senior BJP chief Vineet Joshi instructed ThePrint that this was a really huge pointer for the approaching future. “The BJP will probably be doing remarkably nicely within the Punjab meeting elections.”

The northern state will go to the polls within the first half of 2027.

The NSUI had fielded Prabhjot Singh Gill, a third-year regulation scholar as its presidential candidate. Gill got here in third with 1,359 votes. ASAP’s Mankirat Mann got here fourth with 1,184 votes. SOPU presidential candidate Ardas Kaur managed just a little over 300 votes.

With eight candidates in fray the president’s publish was essentially the most hotly contested seat this yr.

Sath’s sole candidate wins

Ashmeet Singh, a scholar of the College Institute of Authorized Research, received the publish of the vice- president. He belongs to the coed physique Sath, a dialogue group-turned-students union. The group takes its inspiration from human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. In 2023, the group’s Ranmeekjot Kaur had received the vice-president’s publish.

Ashmeet defeated one other robust candidate Naveen Kumar of the ABVP Entrance by 650 votes. Whereas Ashmeet polled 3,478 votes, Naveen bought 2,828 votes. Navdeep Singh Meel of the HSRA (in alliance with ABVP and INSO) tallied just a little over 2,000 votes.

Abhishek Dagar of the Jashan Jawandha faction of College students of Panjab College (SOPU) was elected as the overall secretary. He received with a margin of 722 votes from his nearest contender Vishesh Anand Dakha of the INSO. ASAP’s Komalpreet Kaur got here third with 1735 votes.

‘Unbiased’ wins with NSUI help

Unbiased candidate Mohit Manderana received the publish of the joint secretary defeating his nearest contender Aryan Verma alias Yuvi with just a little over 300 votes. Mohit, a analysis scholar on the Division of public administration, was supported in his marketing campaign by the NSUI. He polled 3,138 votes.

Verma was the joint candidate of the Himachal Pradesh College students Union (HPSU) and PUSU, one other alliance created in collaboration with the ASAP. Verma secured 2820 votes. Siddharth Boora, representing a breakaway faction of PUSU, was the joint candidate of the Pupil Entrance and allies, got here third with 2,074 votes. Sagar Khatri of the HSRA (in alliance with ABVP and INSO) was fourth with 1,093 votes.

(Edited by Tony Rai)

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