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Guwahati, Feb. 5: Student unions of three city-based colleges today switched their loyalties to the NSUI from the AASU.
The development is being as seen a huge boost to the student body of the ruling Congress in the state after the high-profile reverses it suffered last year.
State NSUI president Partha Pratim Bora told The Telegraph that over 200 members of the AASU’s West Guwahati Students’ Union joined the Congress student body. The importance of the event was underlined by the presence of Assam PCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita and other senior leaders at the function organised at the packed Rajiv Bhawan here to welcome the new members to the party fold.
“Along with the WGSU, the three student unions of three colleges — Pragjyotish College, RG Barooah College and Paschim Guwahati College — under its jurisdiction and the local units it had formed at Bharalumukh, Maligaon, Santipur, Namani Kamakhya and Dharapur also joined our fold. Of those who joined us today, 30 of them held designated posts in the AASU,” Bora said.
The student leader said the switch reflected the growing popularity of the state NSUI and it was an important moment for the state unit.
On why AASU members switched sides, Bora said the newcomers said at the function that they did not see opportunities for growth in the “authoritarian” set-up.
As expected, the West Guwahati Students’ Union in a press communiqué today said it has expelled its president Sushanta Deb Choudhury and finance secretary Pranab Das on charges of their involvement to malign the image of the AASU.
AASU sources also said the departure of those who joined the NSUI would in no way impact them. The state NSUI had lost two high profile students’ body elections last year — in Dibrugarh University and Cotton College.
“A lot was made of our losses but we still retain control of 70 per cent of the students’ body in the state. Today’s development is a huge boost. We have asked the newcomers to contest the NSUI organisational polls to be held next month,” Bora said.
The existing NSUI body, whose two-year term ended a few months back, is on extension.
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