Bhubaneswar, Oct. 15: Claims and counter claims by various students' organisations continued today as victorious candidates of the union polls took oath in various colleges and universities of the state.

While the BJD-backed student wing Biju Chhatra Janata Dal claimed that the organisation had won nothing less than 99 per cent seats across the state with margins ranging from 500 to 1,000, the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India also claimed to have won 86 per cent of the seats. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students' wing of the BJP, also claimed to have got 60 per cent seats adding that their candidates bagged the important positions in most of the colleges.

State president of the BJD's youth wing Byomkesh Ray said: "It is the victory of Naveen Patnaik. The youth have shown their love for our leader and it continues to grow over the years. We dedicate the victory to our beloved leader, and our student leaders promise to put our best for the development of the state."

As the swearing-in ceremony began, the newly elected leaders reached their respective institutions accompanied by jubilant supporters.

Vice-chancellors and college principals administered the oath of office to the new office-bearers.

Authorities of Rama Devi Women's University asked the new leaders to uphold the values of the institute.

A large number of students attended the swearing-in ceremony. "All our hard work had been rewarded. My priority will be to upgrade the college to university," said Lagnajit Patra, the president elect of the BJB Autonomous College.