Jamshedpur, Nov. 19: Unlike other campuses, colleges in Chaibasa would not share the university poll fervour this year.

Students of all three Chaibasa colleges, supported by local students’ organisations, have decided to boycott the polls. Reason: They have stressed that students would participate only if the Kolhan University, established last year, is made fully functional. Though the university was completed last year, it remains largely non-functional. The demand stems from the fact that the university that has been “on the cards” for the past three decades, still remains largely “in progress”.

Members of district student bodies such as National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) are now supporting the poll boycott to press for the university completion. “Boycotting the polls would be our first step against the governments’ lackadaisical attitude towards the district’s development,” said Dhananjay Laguri, a postgraduate student of Tata College, Chaibasa.

The Tata College, Mahila College and Commerce College together comprise around 15,000 students who will withdraw from the elections, even though this year’s poll is slated to be the second one in the Ranchi University after a gap of three decades.

Students and bodies are complaining that though inspection for the vice-chancellor’s office and residence was completed a few months ago, till date, no new steps have been taken. “After the formation of the Kolhan University we had hoped that an university office here would solve our problems to a large extent. Educational development work would have received a boost, as it would have had 18 to 20 colleges to administer,” said Dhananjay.

To press for their demands, the students and political parties have also formed an organisation called Kolhan Vishvavidyalaya Sangharsh Samiti. Students have also pledged to rope in more supporters from other Kolhan colleges, if need be.

“If we have to elect representatives, we would rather select locals , as they would understand problems better,” said Pratap Kumar, a student of Commerce College, Chaibasa.