Behind the Scene

Till the Lyngdoh Committee put a check on the Panjab University elections, September was considered as the loud, extravagant and festive month of PU.

Elections as per the Lyngdoh Committee involve limited money and big strategies

Till the Lyngdoh Committee put a check on the Panjab University PU elections, September was considered as the loud, extravagant and festive month of PU. Now, it8217;s different 8212; subdued, peaceful and low on controversies. But what it is high on instead are the managerial skills. This, particularly when they have to do all the planning, marketing and implementation in a mere Rs 5,000 and in limited ways. 8220;One tent and the fluorescent sheets and the money is gone,8221; says Pardeep Singh, party president of SOI.

The road-shows that were considered as a show-of-strength too have seen a set back this session. 8220;The extra expenditure is unexplainable, so we have to plan the minimalistic rallies in a fashion that they get maximum viewers,8221; Pardeep tells us that Sarabjit Singh, the party president, has formed a full-fledged planning team and has Amit Brar and her group of girls making the posters.

Tejpal Cheema, PUSU party president, holds meetings with party members Parminder Jaswal, Gagandeep Kaur, Navjot Sahni, among others every evening to decide the classes they have to visit the next day. 8220;With n-number of restrictions on campaigning, including ban on printing material, that8217;s the only way to reach the students,8221; he tells us that with him asked to step down from the post of contesting president for want of attendance, promoting the new president needs new strategies. For SOPU the plans were made and conveyed at the start of the campaign. 8220;A round of classes to be made in the morning with academic related issues and of the hostels with problems which concern them,8221; chips in Saurabh Gupta, spokesperson of SOPU. While students tell us that what still rules is unofficial hostel parties and free movie tickets, 8220;The extent of it cannot be made public,8221; chirps a PU hosteller.

But it8217;s INSO that takes the round of applause for sending four groups to cover all the departments in two days. 8220;With this new way of elections, we the contenders and the voters, both have to do a little thinking. While we have to strategize, the voters have to hear us out to decide on their own,8221; says Vikas Rathee of INSO, who has seen elections progress in the last four years, 8220;from pomp and show to something more intelligent.8221; Here8217;s to a fresh start.