The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad- Sevalal Vidyarthi Dal (ABVP-SLVD) alliance swept the University of Hyderabad (HCU) Student Union elections 2025, defeating the Left student union alliance and winning all six key positions after 45 rounds of counting.
From the ABVP’s panel, Shiva Palepu was elected as President, Devendra as Vice President, Shruti as General Secretary, Saurabh Shukla as Joint Secretary, Jwala Prasad as Sports Secretary, and Venus as Cultural Secretary.
The ABVP also secured a majority by winning the councilor and board member positions at the school level. The win highlights the growing student support for ABVP overcoming the dominance of the Left wing, Dalit and NSUI unions over the last six years.
A total of 169 candidates were in the fray for key office bearers. Of these, eight were for the post of President, five for the post of Vice President, six for the post of General Secretary, five for the post of Joint Secretary, and four each for the posts of Cultural and Sports Secretary. Polling was conducted on September 19 across 29 booths, with a voter turnout of over 81 per cent.
“The victory signifies the students’ commitment to nationalism and a united effort to challenge divisive politics. Despite a heavy Leftist presence, ABVP’s success in social science departments underscores the students’ determination to break free from ideological influence,” said Antariksh, spokesperson of the ABVP.
The Congress-affiliated NSUI received fewer votes than NOTA surprising many despite a Congress government ruling the State. The NSUI was never a strong force at the Hyderabad Central University though, but it always aligned with left-wing groups in the elections.
“ABVP’s relentless efforts in promoting campus peace, protecting HCU lands, and addressing students concerns through movements have earned widespread support, making this victory a landmark moment in HCU’s history,” the student organisation, affiliated to the RSS, said in a statement.
Earlier this month, the university dissolved the existing students’ union and announced fresh elections for 2025-26, citing compliance with the Supreme Court-mandated Lyngdoh Committee guidelines.
The move was criticised by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), which termed the decision “arbitrary and undemocratic.” NSUI alleged that despite an all-party meeting agreeing to hold polls after the completion of ongoing union activities, the administration abruptly dissolved the union and constituted an election commission.
