In a historic move, the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has nominated its first-ever Muslim woman candidate for the position of president in the upcoming University of Hyderabad (UoH) student union elections. Shaik Aayesha, a PhD student in Chemistry from Visakhapatnam, will be competing against Mohammed Ateeq Ahmed, a fellow PhD student representing the SFI-ASA-TSF alliance.
The ABVP Hyderabad Central University Unit has also revealed the names of its other candidates for the elections. The ABVP has formed an alliance with the Seva Lal Vidyarthi Dal (SLVD), an organization dedicated to the welfare of the tribal community at the university.
Out of a total of nine candidates in the ABVP panel, three are female students. Mrs. Aayesha is running as the ABVP’s presidential candidate, while Tarun Kumar, a research scholar from the School of Physics, is contesting for the vice-president post. Rajesh Palia, a research scholar from the School of Economics, is vying for the position of general secretary. Rathod Vasanth Kumar, an Integrated MA student of Political Science, is representing SLVD as a candidate for the joint secretary position. Antony Basumatary, a research scholar from the Department of Philosophy, is running for the post of Cultural Secretary, and Jwala Prasad, an Integrated MA student of Hindi, is competing for the sports secretary position.
Additionally, G Vinshika from IMA Sociology will be contesting for the ICC-GSCASH (Integrated) role, Aruna from M Optometry will run for the ICC-GSCASH (PG) position, and Pawana from PhD Hindi will compete for the ICC-GSCASH (Research) role.
“The ABVP Panel for the University of Hyderabad Union Elections 2023 is all set to restore the dignity of students at the University of Hyderabad. The student community of the University of Hyderabad requires a student-centric Right to Union, for which the ABVP-SLVD is the only credible option, ensuring an accountable, responsive, and transparent UoHSU,” stated the ABVP in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The ABVP’s move to nominate a Muslim woman candidate for the president’s post reflects a significant step towards inclusivity and diversity within the organization. The upcoming student union elections will not only shape the leadership of the University of Hyderabad but also serve as a testament to the evolving dynamics of student politics in India.
