The Akali Dal-BJP alliance narrative in Punjab has received a symbolic boost from Panjab University, where a last-minute show of coordination between the two estranged allies helped the BJP-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) retain the top post in the students’ council elections.
ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan, a research scholar from Jind, defeated Aam Aadmi Party-backed ASAP candidate Adil Brar by 506 votes in the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) presidential election on Monday.
The result assumed added political significance after the Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) student wing, Students’ Organisation of India (SOI), extended support to Bidhan just a day before polling. SAD sources said SOI backed the ABVP candidate after its own candidate’s nomination was rejected.
The PU election result has revived speculation about whether the two parties could eventually find common ground. The SAD and BJP had been allies for nearly two decades before parting ways in 2020.
ABVP’s victory also marked the organisation’s second consecutive win for the PUCSC president’s post. Last year, ABVP’s Gauravveer Sohal had secured the position without SOI’s backing. This time, the combined support of the two student organisations helped Bidhan defeat a field that also included candidates from Congress’ NSUI and other groups.
The result was quickly seized upon by BJP leaders. Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said the “winds of change” had begun to blow from Panjab University and specifically credited SOI for playing an important role in the victory.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh also highlighted SOI’s last-minute support, while BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh congratulated Bidhan.
For the AAP, the result is an uncomfortable signal. The party had invested considerable organisational effort in the university polls and appointed its youngest MP, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, as in-charge of its ASAP campaign. AAP finished second, while NSUI was pushed to third.
The optics of the result were equally significant. After his victory, Bidhan celebrated by breaking a broom, the election symbol of the ruling AAP, and described the outcome as a “Gen-Z victory”.
The university verdict offers both parties a convenient political message: coordinated opposition can challenge AAP among young voters. But translating that chemistry into a 2027 alliance will require agreement on seats, organisational structures and, most importantly, a common political pitch to Punjab’s electorate.
