The Student Union election at Patna University is set to take place on March 29. Contestants from different parties are staking their claim for the President’s post with strong backing. With the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for October or November this year, this student election holds significant political weight. It remains to be seen who will emerge victorious and which party will continue its dominance in the Patna University Student Union elections.
For the 2024-25 session, a total of 11 students have filed nominations for the President’s post. The competition is expected to be intense, and students are eagerly waiting to see who will secure the top position. According to sources within the university, the main contest is shaping up between an ABVP-supported candidate and an NSUI-backed candidate.
Meanwhile, the JDU, which has been winning for the past two years, has decided not to field a candidate in this election. The party’s chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar stated,
Our state unit has decided not to contest the PUSU elections. This clearly means that our support is going to ABVP, the student wing of our NDA ally BJP.
The Battle Between Two Key Candidates
While 11 students have filed their nominations, the spotlight is on two candidates—Maithili Mrinalini and Manoranjan Kumar Raja. According to the campus atmosphere and student feedback, this election is expected to be a fierce battle between the two.
Maithili Mrinalini has secured the backing of ABVP’s student wing. Additionally, since JDU has decided not to contest this time, its student wing has also extended support to Maithili Mrinalini. With the Bihar Assembly elections approaching, JDU has strategically chosen to stay out of the Patna University elections and has instead thrown its weight behind ABVP.
On the other hand, Manoranjan Kumar Raja is contesting with NSUI’s backing. In a political twist, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party has also decided to support him. Earlier, Jan Suraj had pledged support to Divesh Dinu, but due to allegations of corruption and vote-buying, the party withdrew its endorsement and switched allegiance to NSUI-backed Manoranjan Kumar Raja.
