Akali student wing’s backing of the ABVP presidential candidate echoes SAD’s push for reunion with BJP ahead of 2027.
The Panjab University Campus Students’ Council election has offered an early glimpse into the political choices of a section of Punjab’s youth, with the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad retaining the president’s post for a second consecutive year after receiving crucial support from the Shiromani Akali Dal’s student wing, the Student Organisation of India. The result has assumed significance ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, as it brought the student organisations of the BJP and SAD together on a common platform at a time when speculation over a possible political rapprochement between the two former allies continues. ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan won the presidential election with 3,149 votes, defeating AAP backed Association of Students for Alternative Politics candidate Aadil Brar, who polled 2,637 votes. Congress backed NSUI candidate Gurman Singh Sidhu finished third with 2,263 votes, while SATH candidate Darshpreet Singh secured 1,387 votes. NOTA received 174 votes.
A total of 9,610 votes were polled out of 16,468 registered voters, recording a turnout of 58.35 per cent. The 512 vote margin is significant in a contest that saw the youth vote divided among several political formations. More importantly, the victory came after SOI decided to extend unconditional support to Bidhan just a day before polling. SOI had initially planned to contest the presidential election with its own candidate. However, after the nomination was rejected, the Akali student organisation chose to back ABVP rather than remain outside the contest. Representatives of SOI and ABVP subsequently campaigned together, marking an unusual coming together of the student wings of the BJP and SAD. The development carries significance beyond the university campus. The BJP and SAD were long-standing political allies in Punjab before their relationship broke down in 2020 over the farm laws. Since then, the two parties have travelled separate political paths. With the 2027 Assembly election approaching, however, there has been renewed discussion about whether the two could eventually find common ground. The Panjab University election does not establish that the BJP and SAD have decided to revive their alliance. The BJP has continued to maintain that it is preparing to contest all 117 Assembly seats on its own. But the decision of their student organisations to join hands has nevertheless provided a political snapshot of what cooperation between the two camps could look like at the ground level.
ABVP’s second consecutive presidential victory strengthens its claim that last year’s breakthrough was not an isolated event. In 2025, ABVP ended a 48 year wait to capture the Panjab University presidential post. Its victory this year means the organisation has now retained the position for two consecutive terms, something that underlines its growing organisational presence on the campus. Union Home Minister Amit Shah described the consecutive ABVP victory as a reflection of young people’s faith in the “Nation First” ideology. BJP national president Nitin Nabin also linked the result to the youth choosing ‘nationbuilding and positive leadership’. BJP national general secretary organisation B L Santhosh went a step further by specifically acknowledging SOI’s contribution. While congratulating ABVP, Santhosh pointed out that SOI had supported the organisation’s candidate during the final 48 hours before polling and described the result as a “stupendous victory”. B L Santhosh’s reference to SOI is politically notable. It effectively placed the BJP and SAD student organisations in the same frame at a time when the future relationship between their parent parties remains uncertain. The result has also highlighted the changing ideological contest on the campus.
The temptation to call the result a BJP breakthrough among Punjab’s youth is strong. Yet, political analysts caution against treating a campus election as a direct forecast of an Assembly election. “Panjab University is politically significant, but its elections cannot be treated as a miniature Punjab Assembly election,” said Ranjeet Bahadur, a political commentator from Punjab. “What the result does show is that the BJP has begun creating an organisational presence among young voters. Whether that becomes a vote in the Assembly election will depend on employment, education, migration and local issues.” For some students, the election was primarily about campus concerns rather than national politics. “It was not simply about which political party is stronger. Students were also looking at who would actually take up issues such as hostel facilities, fees, examinations and campus infrastructure,” said Satwant Kour, a second-year student at Panjab University. Another student offered a different interpretation. “National politics definitely influences students, especially when major organisations are involved. But students also make their own calculations. A candidate has to be visible on campus and accessible to students,” said a student from Panjab University who wishes not to be named. SATH, which represents a more Punjab centric political outlook, polled 1,387 votes and finished fourth. Its performance was considerably behind ABVP, AAP backed ASAP and NSUI. Following the result, SATH also took aim at SOI over its decision to support ABVP, turning the alliance into a subject of political criticism and mockery on social media. (With inputs from Mir Umar in New Delhi.)
