Mumbai University senate election: Yuva Sena, ABVP face off; other major student unions step back

Yuva Sena candidates after filing their nominations earlier this month

The upcoming Mumbai University (MU) senate election has set the stage for a direct and highly anticipated contest between Aaditya Thackeray's Yuva Sena and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), under the banner of the Vidyapeeth Vikas Manch. With both student wings fielding candidates for all ten seats, the election is expected to be a significant indicator of youth support ahead of the upcoming Assembly and BMC elections.

The university officially announced the schedule for the Senate election on August 4, with voting scheduled for September 22. The deadline for filing nominations was August 12, by which time a total of 52 applications had been submitted. Yuva Sena and ABVP each fielded ten candidates, ensuring a head-to-head battle for control of the senate. In addition to the major players, Chhatra Bharati Vidyarthi Sangathan has nominated four candidates, and MNS Secretary Sudhakar Tamboli, a former senate member, has also thrown his hat into the ring. Eknath Shinde faction's Yuva Sena and MNS's student wing, Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) and even NCP's students wing have opted not to field any candidates. The absence of these groups has raised questions.

Maintaining congruity

Some student union leaders told mid-day that their decision to refrain from fielding candidates was not a retreat from the election but rather a continuation of their alliance at the state level. Explaining their stance, Advocate Amol Matele, NCP spokesperson and leader of the Nationalist Student Congress, said, "We have not backed out or anything; we are standing in support of the candidates fielded by Aaditya Thackeray's Yuva Sena, as we are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state. The Yuva Sena [UBT] candidates will have our full support."

Another student leader said, "What's the point of contesting elections when only 13,000 graduates will be voting? Imagine if even 2-3 per cent of the electorate don't turn out to vote - what would the voter turnout look like?" Sudhakar Tamboli, MNS secretary and former senate member, confirmed that he had filed his nomination. "It's true that I am the only MNS candidate who has filed a nomination for the senate elections. I have filed my nomination in the capacity of an MNS office-bearer as well as a former senate member," he said, declining to comment further on the issue.

The controversy

The MU graduate senate elections have not been without controversy. After significant delays and much anticipation, MU on August 4 announced the schedule for the poll amid chaos and allegations concerning a drastic reduction in the number of registered graduate voters. The new voter registration process saw 26,944 graduates sign up for university graduate seats. However, the final voter list disqualified over 50 per cent of these voters, leaving only 13,406 eligible voters in the graduate constituency. This reduction has sparked concerns and discussions about potential legal action, with some suggesting that voter disqualification could impact the election's fairness. The election's outcome is likely to play a crucial role in the larger political landscape.

ABVP candidates
>> Harshad Bhide
>> Pratik Naik
>> Rohan Thackeray
>> Prerit Jaywant
>> Jayesh Shekhawat
>> Rajendra Saigaonkar
>> Nisha Savra
>> Rakesh Bhujbal
>> Ajinkya Jadhav
>> Renuka Thakur

Yuva Sena candidates
>> Pradeep Sawant
>> Milind Satam
>> Param Yadav
>> Alpesh Bhoir
>> Kisan Sawant
>> Sneha Gawli
>> Sheetal Sheth
>> Mayur Panchal
>> Dhanraj Kohchade
>> Shashikant Zhore