Students urge VK Pandian to allow student union elections in Odisha 

Students on Tuesday urged 5T chairman, VK Pandian to hold college elections, which have been on hold in the state for the past 4 years. The request came during VK Pandian's visit to Baripada in the Mayurbhanj district on Tuesday.

As per reports, the 5T chairman attended two programmes. He was addressing a Yuva Odisha programme organised on the premises of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University. Students from almost all the colleges in the district were brought in buses to the meeting venue.  

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the programme, Tanmay Mohanty, a student said, "We really wanted to ask why college elections are not being held. The college polls have been on hold for the last four years.”

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He also added that youth can develop their leadership qualities if they are given chances to fight elections at the college level. “Children of political leaders will be leaders.  A minister’s son becomes a minister. When many youths are interested in politics with a public service mindset, we have little chance to grow up as leaders. Through media, we appeal to VK Pandian to pave the way for college elections,” he observed.

However, ruling BJD legislator Rajkishore Das, parried the question, saying that the state government has launched a host of programmes for the development of youth.