Bhubaneswar: Campus election candidates on Sunday took their campaign beyond college gates to hostels and other student accommodations across the twin cities, in a final bid to woo voters ahead of Thursday’s polls.On the other hand, ABVP on Sunday claimed that its candidates have been elected unopposed to 252 posts across 60 colleges in the state ahead of the students’ union elections. The unopposed victories include 12 posts of president, 17 of general secretary, 22 of vice-president and 23 joint secretary posts, according to ABVP. Candidates were elected unopposed after the withdrawal deadline ended, leaving no rivals in the fray for these posts.Meanwhile, Aryan Mohapatra, an ABVP member contesting for post of president of BJB Autonomous College students’ union, was allegedly attacked by a group of people while campaigning at Padapadia in Pipili on Sunday. Mohapatra sustained serious head injuries, while some other candidates and supporters suffered minor injuries. He was initially taken to Pipili hospital and later shifted to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar for treatment.With limited opportunities for classroom campaigning over the weekend, aspirants on Sunday went door to door, meeting boarders and seeking to understand their concerns. Hostel facilities, food quality, drinking water and campus safety emerged as key issues in their outreach.At Utkal University, the three candidates contesting for the students’ union president’s post — Abhiram Mishra, Sourav Behera and Suryanarayan Nayak — visited all 13 hostels to hear students’ grievances.“Food is certainly a major concern flagged by many students, but so are safe drinking water and transportation facilities between different parts of the campus. We have been moving from one hostel to another, noting problems faced by outstation students living away from their homes,” said Nayak.While security at girls’ hostels tops the ABVP agenda, hostel amenities has also featured prominently in the campaign of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), which has joined hands with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) to contest the Utkal University polls.AISF state president Sanghamitra Jena said students across campuses in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack had flagged concerns over food quality, security and sanitation. Basic facilities, including sanitary napkin vending machines, drinking water filters and refrigerators, were also among their demands.“Students need basic facilities such as sanitary napkin vending machines, drinking water filters and refrigerators in hostels at Utkal, Ravenshaw and other institutions. In one hostel of Utkal, there is just one water filter for three floors,” Jena said. AISF has promised to work towards free hostel accommodation and food for residential students on campuses where its candidates win.Similar concerns surfaced at BJB Autonomous College in Bhubaneswar, besides Shailabala Women’s College and Christ College in Cuttack, where hostel residents flagged poor food quality, broken fans and inadequate sanitation.Pragyna Das, a student of Shailabala Women’s College, said a shortage of housekeeping staff had made it difficult to keep hostel premises clean, while the quality of food remained a concern. “We have been telling all the candidates about the problems we face in our hostels, hoping that the elections will bring some solution,” she said.
Candidates of BCJD campaigning at utkal university on Sunday
Candidates of BCJD campaigning at utkal university on Sunday