Odisha student union polls: 6,708 candidates in fray across 13 universities, 347 colleges

With just three days to go before the October 15 student union elections, candidates across Odisha are stepping up their campaigns to win over student voters. Polling will take place in 13 universities and 347 colleges, with more than 6,600 candidates reportedly in the race. The release of the final candidate list has set the stage for the contest across campuses. In 13 universities, 429 candidates filed nominations. Of these, 49 nominations were rejected and 34 candidates withdrew, leaving 346 candidates in the fray. In 347 colleges, 8,370 candidates initially filed nominations. After 1,196 nominations were rejected and 405 candidates withdrew, the reported number of candidates remaining in the contest stands at 6,362. With Sunday being a holiday, candidates could not reach students through classroom campaigning. Instead, they took to social media and visited hostels to discuss their plans, highlight student issues and seek support ahead of polling day. Utkal University Candidates Take Campaign To Hostels At Utkal University, candidates are focusing on issues that directly affect students, including drinking water, sanitation and campus safety. An NSUI representative raised concerns about hostel facilities, claiming that students across three floors had to share a single water purifier. The representative also highlighted sanitation problems and the need for a safer environment for women students. Presidential candidate Saurabh Behera said the panel was reaching out to students to explain its plans and seek their support in addressing campus issues. AISF vice-presidential candidate Pappu Rout said the panel wanted to make the campus safer and free from fear, while improving the academic environment. He urged students to support its efforts to bring changes to the university. An NSUI representative said the alliance with AISF was aimed at strengthening their campaign and raising issues affecting students. With polling day approaching, candidates are making the most of the remaining days to connect with voters, share their promises and seek support for their panels.