Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Bengal Opposition Leader Demands Immediate College Student Union Elections
Ritabrata Banerjee wants colleges and universities in Bengal to hold student union elections soon.
He says elections are important so students can organise and speak up.
He accused the BJP government of delaying the polls.
He also accused the BJP and a rival TMC group of quietly helping each other.
The rival group has accused Banerjee’s faction of being soft on the BJP.
Banerjee said his supporters faced attacks and police harassment at their programme.
He also said a recent fight outside Abhishek Banerjee’s office was planned.
His group held its event after the Calcutta High Court allowed it.
The government’s response to his allegations was not reported in the article.
Ritabrata Banerjee demanded immediate student union elections in all Bengal colleges and universities.
He alleged that the BJP government was not taking steps to hold the polls.
Banerjee accused the BJP and a Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction of having a tacit understanding.
He claimed a recent scuffle at Abhishek Banerjee’s Kolkata office was stage-managed.
His faction held its student wing’s foundation day programme after receiving permission from the Calcutta High Court.
- Who
- Ritabrata Banerjee, Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, and his student-wing faction.
- What
- Banerjee demanded immediate student union elections and made allegations against the BJP government and rival TMC leaders.
- When
- Friday, with the referenced office scuffle occurring on Thursday.
- Where
- The demand was made at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Kolkata; the reported scuffle occurred on Camac Street.
- Why
- Banerjee said student union elections are necessary to prevent student movements from being hampered.
Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction
BJP government and rival TMC faction
Student union elections
Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction
Banerjee’s faction says elections should be held immediately in all colleges and universities because student movements could otherwise be weakened.
BJP government and rival TMC faction
Banerjee alleged that the BJP government was not taking steps to hold the elections; the article does not report the government’s response or position.
Political relationship
Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction
Banerjee accused the BJP and the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction of having a tacit understanding and claimed his supporters faced attacks and police harassment.
BJP government and rival TMC faction
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC camp has accused Banerjee’s faction of being soft on the BJP; the article does not include a response from the BJP or the rival faction to his latest allegations.
- Main demand
- Immediate student union elections in all colleges and universities in Bengal.
- Speaker
- Ritabrata Banerjee, Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly.
- Political allegation
- Banerjee alleged a tacit understanding between the BJP and the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction.
- Student event
- Banerjee’s faction held its student wing’s foundation day programme at Rani Rashmoni Avenue.
- Court order
- The Calcutta High Court allowed the faction to hold its programme at that location.
- Related incident
- Private guards, supporters and party leaders reportedly scuffled with police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials at Abhishek Banerjee’s office.
- Additional proposal
- Banerjee said his group was considering an upper age limit for student leaders.