TMC Faction Demands Immediate Student Union Polls in West Bengal Colleges!

A significant political development unfolded in West Bengal on Friday, August 28, 2026, as the Ritabrata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction vehemently accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of deliberately delaying student union elections across the state's colleges and universities. The faction has issued a strong demand for immediate polls, asserting that the continuous postponement is severely hindering the student movement.

Addressing the foundation day programme of his faction's student wing, Mr. Banerjee emphasized,

Our only demand is elections to students' bodies in all colleges and universities, as otherwise the students' movement will be hampered.

He also advocated for an upper age limit for student leaders, suggesting a fresh approach to student politics.

Banerjee challenged the government to make a clear statement regarding its intentions to conduct these crucial elections.

He further criticized the BJP, stating they must fulfill their promises instead of replicating the mistakes of previous administrations. Banerjee pointed out the irony, mentioning that former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself was a product of student unions, yet her government also failed to conduct these elections. "BJP came to power by capitalising on the mistakes of the previous government.

Now they must hold the students union election across the state," he asserted.

Adding to the allegations, Mr. Banerjee accused the BJP government of nominating its MPs and MLAs to college governing bodies, a move he believes shows the ruling party has not shed the "ills" of the CPI(M) and Mamata Banerjee-led governments that preceded it.

Student union elections in West Bengal have been in a state of limbo for the past five years, a situation that has spurred a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court last year.

While the state government has expressed its willingness to hold elections, it has claimed that individual colleges and universities have not taken adequate initiative to facilitate them. The prolonged delay has led to significant unrest, with students of Jadavpur University, for instance, staging protests for two years demanding the resumption of elections, which have been withheld in their institution for five years.

Amidst this ongoing tussle, the High Court had previously directed the State government to lock up union rooms in colleges, underscoring the severity and complexity of the issue.

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