BJP sweeps Saurashtra University syndicate polls

BJP swept election to syndicate of Saurashtra University and continued its strangle-hold on the body by winning seven out of nine seats on Sunday. Congress failed to improve its earlier tally of two seats as its prominent candidate lost to his BJP rival in the principal’s constituency.

Polling for three seats of syndicate was held in Senate Hall of Saurashtra University in the morning. Dharam Kamaliya and Yagnesh Joshi of Congress and Vijay Bhattasana and Nayna Antala of the BJP were in the race for the two seats from the principal’s constituency. Polling was also held for lone seat of head of the department (HoD) constituency in which Ramesh Vaghani, HoD of social work department and Bharat Ramanuj, HoD of education department, both backed by the BJP, were in the fray.

In the results declared by returning officer Ramesh Kalaria, who is principal of KSN Kansagra Mahila College, Kamaliya and Bhattasana were declared winners from the principal’s constituency. Similarly, Vaghani was declared winner from the HoD constituency. Bhattasana polled 26 votes while Kamaliya managed 22. These tallies were higher than 13 and 11 polled by Anatala and Joshi respectively. Defeat of Joshi, who was sitting member of the syndicate, came as blow to Congress and dashed party hopes of increasing its presence in the body.

Before the polling day, all the five seats in the general constituency of syndicate had been decided uncontested. Four of them had gone to BJP while Hardevsinh Jadeja was the lone Congressman to win, also uncontested. The maiden seat of teachers’ constituency was also decided unopposed in favour of Mehul Rupani of the BJP.

With these results, BJP won seven of the nine seats that went to election. The two other members of the 11-member syndicate are nominated from the academic council of the university. The tenure of the new syndicate will be three years.

Source:: Indian Express