As student union election campaigns heat up across colleges and universities in Odisha, senior BJD leader Ashok Panda has made a strong and significant remark.
He stated that political leaders, regardless of their party affiliation, should refrain from interfering in campus elections or entering institutional premises for political influence.
With polling scheduled for October 15, the political landscape is buzzing with activity. Nomination filings and scrutiny processes have already concluded, though rising tensions and temporary college closures have been reported in a few areas amid mutual accusations between rival political factions.
Highlighting that student union elections are strictly an internal matter for students, Panda emphasised that political interference disrupts campus harmony and undermines independent student decision-making. He urged leaders across all political parties to respect student democracy, ensuring that the autonomy of academic institutions remains intact. Meanwhile, local administrations have beefed up security to ensure a peaceful and fair voting process as students prepare to elect their representatives.
