Bhubaneswar, Oct 13 Campaigning for the October 15 student union elections in Odisha ended on Tuesday, with candidates making last-ditch efforts to woo voters at state-run colleges and universities.
Campuses were decked up with posters and banners, while candidates contesting various posts visited departments and hostels, promising to address issues such as teacher shortages and improve infrastructure and student amenities.
Leaders of the RSS-affiliated ABVP as well as the student wings of the BJD and the Congress campaigned for their candidates.
A candidate distributed sanitary napkins in a college in Dhenkanal district while NSUI members took out a car rally in Utkal University. Some candidates have also released manifestos for the polls.
An ABVP leader at Fakir Mohan University said, “We have campaigned day and night on the campus and at hostels to get support of students. We are optimistic that our candidates will win the polls.
According to Higher Education Department data, a total of 6,891 candidates are in the fray for the election being held after a gap of eight years. As many as 359 higher education institutions, including 346 colleges and 13 universities, have submitted nomination data for the election.
Of the total candidates in the fray, 1,597 college representatives have been elected unopposed. In universities, 42 representatives have been elected unopposed.
According to the Higher Education Department, polling will be held from 8 am to 2 pm on Thursday, and the counting of votes will be held the same day.
(PTI News)
