ABVP Retains Panjab University President’s Post as Ankit Bidhan Wins with SOI Support

Chandigarh, September 1, 2026: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has retained the president’s post of the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) for a second consecutive year, with its candidate Ankit Bidhan defeating his nearest rival by more than 500 votes.

Bidhan’s victory came with the backing of the Student Organisation of India (SOI), the student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). SOI had decided not to field its own presidential candidate and extended support to the ABVP nominee.

Ankit Bidhan Wins Presidential Poll

Ankit Bidhan secured 3,149 votes, defeating Aadil Brar of the Association for Student Alternative Politics (ASAP), who polled 2,637 votes. The victory margin was 512 votes.

The result marks ABVP’s second consecutive victory in the PUCSC presidential election.

It is also a significant achievement for ABVP, which had ended a long wait for the university’s top student post with its victory last year.

SOI Support Proves Crucial

The election attracted considerable attention because of the cooperation between ABVP and SOI.

SOI, associated with the SAD, backed Bidhan after its own candidate’s nomination was not in the presidential contest. The cooperation is being viewed as politically significant because the BJP and SAD have historically been allies, although their relationship has seen major changes in recent years.

The student-level understanding has also attracted attention ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, adding another dimension to the result.

ABVP Calls It a Victory for Students

Following the result, ABVP celebrated Bidhan’s victory and described it as a mandate from the university’s students.

The organisation has sought to highlight issues concerning students and university administration, while presenting the result as evidence of growing support among the campus electorate.

A Closely Watched Election

The PUCSC election was closely watched because of the participation of multiple student organisations and the political affiliations of several contestants.

The contest included candidates associated with ABVP, ASAP and other student groups, while SOI’s decision to support ABVP changed the dynamics of the presidential race.

The election also came amid broader discussions over the future of Panjab University, student representation and university administration.

Political Significance Ahead of 2027

The ABVP-SOI cooperation has sparked discussion beyond the university campus.

With Punjab scheduled to vote in the 2027 Assembly elections, any visible coordination between student organisations linked to the BJP and SAD is likely to attract political attention.

However, the university election result should not automatically be interpreted as a direct indicator of the outcome of the 2027 state elections.

Key Highlights
ABVP’s Ankit Bidhan won the PUCSC presidential election.
Bidhan secured 3,149 votes.
He defeated ASAP’s Aadil Brar, who received 2,637 votes.
The winning margin was 512 votes.
SAD’s student wing SOI backed ABVP in the presidential contest.
ABVP has retained the PUCSC president’s post for the second consecutive year.
The ABVP-SOI understanding has drawn attention ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.