JU students'' union polls: ABVP, SFI engage in blame game over

With two days to go for the students' union polls in Jadavpur University, the RSS- affiliated ABVP and the CPI(M)-backed SFI on Sunday accused each other of trying to thwart their campaigns.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad state secretary Saptarshi Sarkar alleged that the Students' Federation of India is putting their posters on its poll graffiti at several places inside the campus for the last two days.

"SFI is now desperate to prevent ABVP from winning seats by any means. They talk about democracy but don't allow others to campaign," Sarkar said, asserting that they will not be intimidated by "any such tactic".

Countering ABVP's charge, SFI-controlled Arts Faculty Students' Union general secretary Debraj Debnath said "their goons had torn our posters and placards".

"We found torn posters and festoons lying on the ground near the main gate on Sunday. ABVP is behind this act. But their sinister design to divide students and terrorise them will not succeed," he said.

University sources said neither side informed the authorities about any incident of tearing of posters in the run-up to the polls, scheduled on February 19.

The RSS-affiliated ABVP has, for the first time, fielded candidates in general seats and for eight central panel posts - four in arts and four in engineering faculties.

The SFI has also put up candidates for all posts of the cental panel and most of the general seats and exuded confidence about winning the polls.