Meet Vaibhav Meena, the student leader behind ABVP's 'historic' comeback at JNU

Vaibhav Meena

The Left Unity panel secured three key posts, while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clinched one seat after a gap of nine years in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) elections.

The results of the JNUSU elections were announced late Sunday night, after which the campus witnessed night-long celebrations, with red and saffron flags lighting up JNU.

Vaibhav Meena from ABVP won the Joint Secretary post, marking the party’s first central panel victory after nine years. ABVP also claimed 24 out of 42 councillor posts. The last time ABVP had won a central panel seat was in 2015, when Saurabh Sharma secured the Joint Secretary position. The party’s last presidential win was in 2000, when Sandeep Mahapatra took the top post.

Who is Vaibhav Meena?

Vaibhav Meena hails from Karauli, Rajasthan and comes from a tribal farming background. He is a research scholar at JNU and a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) qualifier in Hindi Literature. An alumnus of the University of Rajasthan and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), he also serves as the President of Kaveri Hostel and has completed a two-year stint with the National Service Scheme (NSS).

Reacting to his win, Meena said, “I do not see this as a personal achievement but as a historic victory for tribal consciousness and nationalist ideology, long suppressed by the Left at JNU."

“A Historic Victory for ABVP at Jawaharlal Nehru University! Congratulations to @meena_vaibhavsingh on winning the position of Joint Secretary in the JNUSU Elections 2024-25! This remarkable achievement highlights the growing trust and confidence of the student community in the vision, commitment, and leadership of ABVP. With this victory, a new chapter of dynamic and dedicated leadership begins at JNU!” ABVP Delhi wrote in a post on X.

The results, announced by the JNUSU Election Commission, declared Nitish Kumar of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) as the new President with 1,702 votes. His nearest rival, Shikha Swaraj of ABVP, polled 1,430 votes, while Tayabba Ahmed, supported by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), received 918 votes.

Along with the presidency, Left Unity also bagged the Vice-President and General Secretary posts, won by Manisha and Muntaha respectively. However, the highlight of the results was the return of ABVP in the Students’ Union after nine long years.