Bhubaneswar, Aug 2: All major political parties in the state are eyeing the upcoming Utkal University students' union election closely.

The varsity has recently witnessed group clashes, as a result of which the students' union elections have taken place only twice in the last four years.

On July 25, two youths, including a first-year postgraduate student, were injured after a few goons attacked them with sharp-edged weapons.

Sources said this year's student polls at the varsity would be an acid test for all the major political parties.

Once considered as a stronghold of Congress-backed National Students' Union of India, the varsity got a Biju Chhatra Janata Dal president after Congress heavyweight Chinmay Sahoo changed sides last August.

"The student wing of congress, which did not field any candidate last year as most of its members left the party, has gained some ground on the campus this year. Besides, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidarthi Parishad has also found a number of supporters. This means the polls would be key to the political parties," said a student.

Though the elections are scheduled to take place in two or three months, the student wings of all political parties have started their campaigns. However, campus violence has been a major concern for police and the varsity administration.

The 2012 and 2013 polls had to be called off due to campus violence. "As all political parties are keen to win the polls, they often resort to violence to prevent rival parties from grabbing the union. They know only violence can lead to the cancellation of election," said a faculty member.

The varsity vice-chancellor, Ashok Das, said the primary task was to restore peace on the campus. "We have asked the security personnel to check the identity cards of students entering the campus to restrict outsiders' entry."