Bhubaneswar: After nearly four decades, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has won the prestigious president’s post of Utkal University Students’ Union. The post carries significant political importance as Utkal University is Odisha’s oldest university and is located in the state capital.The university late on Thursday night announced the names of the candidates who won the campus poll held earlier in the day. Abhiram Mishra, ABVP’s presidential candidate, created history by becoming president of the university’s students’ union. ABVP won seven of the nine posts, while Papu Rout, backed by AISF and NSUI, became vice-president of the students’ union.In 1987-88, Pratap Naik of ABVP had won the president’s post. Before that, Alok Jena had won the post in 1984-85 by defeating former Odisha Congress president Prasad Harichandan. Over the years, the institution has produced several prominent political leaders, including former minister Prasanna Acharya, former Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, former Odisha Congress president Prasad Harichandan, and former minister and BJD MLA Arun Sahoo.On Friday, elected and nominated candidates of students’ unions at different colleges and universities took oath amid celebrations. While ABVP won a majority of seats in the campus polls, BCJD won several key campuses. “We have won the election to bring changes in the university. We will try to make the campus free from non-students who are giving rise to hooliganism. A healthy atmosphere will be created on the university campus,” said Abhiram Mishra, president-elect of Utkal University Students’ Union.Of the 13 state public universities, ABVP claimed it won eight president posts, including at Utkal University, Sambalpur University and GM University, Sambalpur, while Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) won five campuses, including Rama Devi Women’s University in Bhubaneswar, Ravenshaw University in Cuttack and Fakir Mohan University in Balasore.Biswajit Sahu, president of Ravenshaw University Students’ Union, said, “Though we got less time for preparation, we won the election. We will try to raise the voice of students before appropriate authorities to solve the problems of the campus.”Tension gripped the Science College campus at Hinjilicut in Ganjam district after two student groups scuffled before the elected candidates took oath of office for the Students’ Union. Similarly, the oath-taking ceremony was postponed at RCM College, Khallikote, after candidates demanded a recount of votes.NSUI members staged a protest in front of Maa Manikeshwari University in Bhawanipatna, alleging irregularities in the campus election. The ceremony was held peacefully in other parts of the state, police said. DGP Vinaytosh Mishra said the students’ union election was completed almost peacefully across the state. Police will take action against non-students creating disturbances on campuses after FIRs are lodged against them.