Margins to mandate: First-gen voices in JNUSU poll battle

New Delhi: A tribal Muslim woman from Jammu's Gujjar community, a first-generation Dalit scholar from Haryana, a OBC student from rural Bihar and a tribal candidate from Rajasthan are among those contesting for top posts in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union elections this year.
The polls will see two Left formations competing — AISA-DSF alliance and the Left-Ambedkarite Unity Panel comprising SFI, AISF, BAPSA and PSA. A split in the broader Left camp over the presidential candidate has resulted in these two separate alliances, a move that observers say could benefit the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Choudhary Tayyaba Ahmed, a PhD law and governance student, is the first Muslim tribal woman from Jammu to contest for JNUSU President. A member of the Gujjar community from Poonch, her political journey began in 2020, when she struggled to attend online classes during the internet blackout in J&K. This experience led her to campaign against the digital divide through the CPIM-affiliated SFI. Tayyaba says, "If politics decides my future, I must decide my politics."
The candidate of Left-Ambedkarite Unity Panel for general secretary is Ram Niwas of BAPSA. He is a research scholar at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance. The alliance's vice-presidential candidate is Santosh Kumar of AISF, a PhD scholar at the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies. Nigam, the joint secretary candidate, is an MA student from the Progressive Students' Association (PSA) and the outgoing councillor from the same school.
Nitish Kumar, an OBC student from rural Bihar and a first-generation learner, is the joint presidential candidate of AISA and DSF. Having faced deep-seated caste inequities growing up, his campaign focuses on social justice, affordable education, and the defence of democratic spaces in universities. Manisha, the vice-presidential candidate of the AISA-DSF alliance, is a first-generation Dalit scholar from Haryana who battled systemic caste bias to reach JNU. A vocal campaigner for gender justice and reservation rights, she represents the aspirations of many from rural and marginalised backgrounds.
Munteha Fatima, contesting for general secretary, is a student of international relations and is reputed for advocacy of minority rights and campus inclusivity. Naresh Kumar, the alliance's joint secretary nominee, comes from a working-class family in Bihar and has been part of several campaigns demanding student scholarships and better hostel facilities.
NSUI has Pradeep Dhaka contesting for president. He is a postgraduate student from Delhi with a background in law and has campaigned on transparency in administration and career counselling for students. Arun Pratap, candidate for general secretary, was born in a Dalit family in Rampur, UP, and is pursuing his PhD on the north Indian Dalit movement. A former hostel president, Pratap joined NSUI in 2024. "I am here to raise a voice for the oppressed and to ensure dignity and rights for every student," he said. Saloni Khandelwal, NSUI's joint secretary nominee and a political science student from Jaipur, had her political awakening after experiencing water scarcity in JNU. "They talk about Gaza, but what about Ganga Dhaba's dirty water?" she asked, criticising what she termed as the Left-ABVP-Admin nexus that discounted basic campus issues. Her campaign focuses on women's safety, hostel reforms, and inclusion.
ABVP has fielded a full panel. Shikha Swaraj, its presidential candidate, is a PhD scholar in American studies in the School of International Studies. She hails from Nawada in Bihar. Its candidate for vice-president is Nittu Gautam, a PhD scholar in computer science. A native of Kamareddy district in Telangana, Gautam completed his BTech from Lingaya's Vidyapeeth, Faridabad, and MTech from JNU. Kunal Rai, contesting for general secretary, is a research scholar at the School of International Studies. He hails from Chhapra, Bihar, and belongs to a farming family. The joint secretary candidate is Vaibhav Meena, a JRF holder and research scholar in Hindi literature at the Centre of Indian Languages. He is from Karauli, Rajasthan, and has studied at Rajasthan University and Banaras Hindu University. Meena currently serves as president of Kaveri Hostel.
ABVP's central election convener Arjun Anand said the organisation was focused on improving infrastructure, campus safety, and quality education. "We've worked among students throughout the year, and our candidates represent practical solutions — not just ideological rhetoric," he said.
Other candidates include Yari Nayam from Arunachal Pradesh contesting independently for the general secretary's post with a focus on Northeast students' visibility and representation. "If you've ever felt unseen and unheard in this university, Yari Nayam is your candidate," she said.