What ABVP's Panjab University win means for 2027 Punjab polls

The results of the Panjab University students' council polls, coming ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, are being viewed as an indicator of the political mood among young voters.

With Punjab elections less than six months away, the BJP received a shot in the arm after its student wing, the ABVP, retained the post of president of the Panjab University students' council for the second year in a row. The results of students' union polls, particularly ahead of assembly elections, are often viewed as an indicator of the political mood among young voters - a bloc that has been disgruntled with the BJP of late.

As per the official results declared on Tuesday, ABVP's Ankit Bidhan defeated AAP student outfit ASAP's Adil Brar by 512 votes. It is the first time in the history of Panjab University that ABVP has won the top post in the students' council election for two consecutive terms. Last year, the ABVP won the poll for the first time in nearly 50 years.

DECODING THE ABVP'S 2ND STRAIGHT WIN

The victory assumed added significance as the Students' Organisation of India (SOI), the student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), had extended support to the ABVP. This comes amid buzz that the BJP and the SAD are looking to revive their alliance ahead of the 2027 polls. The SAD had parted ways with the BJP in 2020 amid a dispute over the now-withdrawn farm reform laws.

While the results should not be read as a direct indicator of the 2027 polls, it gives the BJP an opportunity to project it as evidence of growing acceptance among Punjab's youth.

The PUCSC (Panjab University Campus Students Council) presidential election, however, was a close contest. The ABVP faced a stern challenge from ASAP and NSUI, which improved its vote share from last year. The NSUI is the student wing of the Congress.

While the ABVP trailed in some of the larger departments, it picked up crucial support in several smaller departments, particularly in sciences and arts, helping it win by a narrow margin.

In an exclusive interview with India Today, Bidhan called it a "Gen Z win". "This is a win of Modi ji. Students have shown how much they love ABVP. We have delivered on our promises," Bidhan said.

One of the most interesting aspects of the election was the support extended to ABVP by the students' wing of the SAD. The SAD initially fielded its own candidate. However, after the nomination was rejected, it backed Bidhan. It proved to be crucial in a close race.

While Bidhan acknowledged the role of the SAD in his win, he stressed that it should not automatically be interpreted as an indication of an alliance for the Assembly polls.

Nevertheless, the victory has revived discussion about whether the BJP and the SAD could eventually let go of their differences and find common ground ahead of the 2027 battle.

"The alliance between the two student wings of BJP and SAD could not have happened without the consent of the party high command," political analyst Kuldeep Singh said.

While there is silence over a pre-poll alliance in Punjab, the university poll results signal that both parties, when together, could be a potent force.

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