Bhubaneswar: BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Saturday claimed a strong showing by his party’s student wing in the October 15 student union elections, asserting that Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) candidates won around 50 per cent of seats in universities and more than 60 per cent in colleges.
The five-time former chief minister expressed satisfaction with the results while accusing the ruling BJP of deploying money power, muscle power and other unfair tactics.
“Biju Chhatra Janata Dal has done very well in the recent elections, winning more than 60 per cent of seats in colleges and around 50 per cent of seats in universities despite the BJP government using money power, muscle power and adopting all unfair means. I congratulate all young people of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal,” Patnaik told reporters.
His remarks came hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah described the ABVP’s performance as “a stern response to anti-national forces,” claiming it reaffirmed that Odisha’s youth favour a ‘nation first’ ideology.
Official tallies showed the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) securing victories in eight of the 13 state universities and several colleges, while BCJD candidates took five universities. The Congress-backed NSUI failed to win a single president’s post.
In a party statement, the BJD declared that students across Odisha had extended overwhelming support to the BCJD, describing it as proof of Gen Z’s affection for Naveen Patnaik. Spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said students would not forget the transformative changes brought to the state’s education sector during Patnaik’s tenure as chief minister.
BCJD president Ipsita Sahoo went further, alleging that the BJP government extensively misused official machinery and power in a bid to sway the polls, yet still failed to win over students.
She claimed Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had particularly sought a win at Rama Devi Women’s University, only for Gen Z voters to deny it. Sahoo also highlighted major BCJD victories in Bolangir (home district of Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo) and Puri (home district of Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida).
