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Disqualification dampens mood

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

‘Code of conduct’: Principal of Kamala Nehru Women’s College addressing students on the last day of campaigning in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. —

BHUBANESWAR: After disqualification of many a candidature took the sheen off student union polls, the usual enthusiasm among students was confined to a few campuses.

‘Why I Stand For’, the last official campaign, proved to be a low-key affair in colleges and universities across the state on Saturday.

At Vani Vihar, campus of Utkal University, the auditorium reverberated with numerous promises doled out by the candidates. Supporters of presidential candidates put up posters though not of the same size as those in the previous years in view of the restrictions imposed by the administration.

Three candidates who were in the fray for the president’s post mostly talked about their roadmap to bring the university’s glory back. All of them pointed towards the sorry state of affairs in the old Parija Library and its books of 1950s.

While supporters of respective candidates were seen getting excited, opponents maintained silence showing their ‘not-interested’ attitude.

The situation was similar in the city’s Rama Devi Women’s College. Girls screamed loudly as their presidential candidates ascended the dais to air their views.

Campuses of colleges where mass disqualification of nomination papers was announced on Friday wore a deserted look. Security personnel kept strict vigil on the developments unfolding before the college election in their respective areas.

In the prestigious Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, presidential candidates mainly reminded the glorious past of the institution and promised to work towards making it one of the top universities in the country on par with Delhi University.

Candidates were all set to launch door-to-door campaign on Sunday. The fizz was largely missing on the campus of Berhampur University as many students had set out to enjoy Dusshera vacation instead of staying back for the election to be held on Monday.

Most of the candidates contesting the elections in SKCG Autonomous College, Paralakhemudi, won uncontested.

The election was low-key in Khalikote Autonomous College as well as Government Science College, Chhatrapur. The candidates who would be able to keep their limited numbers of supporters united had better chances of winning.

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