The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has secured one of the top posts in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), marking a comeback after a decade, according to results of the students’ union elections declared on Monday.

ABVP’s Vaibhav Meena won the post of Joint Secretary with 1,518 votes. Nitish Kumar of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) was elected President, securing 1,702 votes, while Manisha and Munteha Fatima, both from the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), clinched the Vice-President and General Secretary posts, respectively. Manisha garnered 1,150 votes, while Munteha Fatima won with 1,520 votes, further strengthening DSF’s presence in the central panel.

Although the ABVP fell short of winning the President, Vice-President, and General Secretary posts, the narrow margins of defeat underscored a palpable shift in campus dynamics.

Describing the outcome as an “unprecedented performance,” Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, said in a post on X: “Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) conquered: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidate Vaibhav Meena has been elected as Joint Secretary. And it doesn’t stop there. ABVP has delivered an unprecedented performance in the JNUSU elections, winning 23 out of 42 councillor seats across 16 schools and special centres — the highest number of seats won by any student organization.”

Nitish Kumar of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) emerged as President, garnering 1,702 votes, while Manisha and Munteha Fatima, both from the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), claimed the posts of Vice-President and General Secretary, respectively. Manisha secured 1,150 votes, while Munteha Fatima’s victory further solidified DSF’s presence in the central panel, with 1,520 votes.

Shikha Swaraj, Nittu Goutham, Kunal Rai, and Vaibhav Meena represented the ABVP in the key positions of President, Vice-President, General Secretary, and Joint Secretary, respectively, as part of their ambitious campaign to challenge the status quo and alter campus politics.

The contest was marked by intense competition among strategic alliances: the All India Students’ Association (AISA) allied with the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), while the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) joined forces with the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA), the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), and the Progressive Students’ Association.

The ABVP contested the election independently.

This year’s turnout of 68.3 per cent, though slightly lower than the record-breaking 73 per cent participation in the 2024 elections, still reflected strong voter engagement.