Polls for five seats of professors’ category in MSU senate today

VADODARA: Campus politics is coming to a boil at M S University ahead of senate elections.
On Thursday, election for the five seats of professors’ category of senate body will be held on the campus – the first polls in the series of elections that will be held for the new body of senate.
The poll battle this time is between 10 candidates backed by two saffron groups – one led by the Maharaja Sayajirao Vishvavidyalay Shaikshik Sangh (MSVSS) – the right wing teacher’s outfit and another led by the ruling saffron group which is currently enjoying majority in the senate and syndicate bodies.
Professor Bharat Mehta from Faculty of Arts is contesting independently.
MSVSS-backed panel includes professor Dhananjay Sant from Faculty of Science, professor Ranjan Aiyer from Faculty of Medicine, professor Dipti Oza from Faculty of Education and Psychology, professor Sanjay Soman from Faculty of Technology and Engineering and professor Gaurang Bhavsar from Faculty of Performing Arts.
Interestingly, the ruling group too has declared Aiyer as its candidate for the polls apart from professor Adhya Saxena from Faculty of Arts, professor Ashutosh Bedekar from Faculty of Science, professor Bhavna Mehta from Faculty of Social Work and professor Arun Pratap from Faculty of Technology and Engineering.
There are 164 voters who are eligible to caste their votes in the elections of this elite academic category.
On the eve of the polls, propaganda reached to its peak. MSVSS which has forged an alliance ahead of the polls released its manifesto for the elections which it said was aimed at bringing ‘Parivartan’ (change) in the university and support the authority instead of ‘remote controlling’ them.
“There have been too many allegations and charges. We want to clean the system and make MSU transparent,” read the message circulated by MSVSS on social media groups, adding that welfare of teaching community is currently being ignored.
It alleged that the ‘power-group’ is promoting factionalism in the university while appointments are hand-picked and professors are being ignored in key important positions and committees.
In response to this, a letter criticising MSVSS started circulating in the campus later in the day. Although the letter was attributed to Bharat Mehta, he categorically denied to have written any such letter.