The candidate nomination process of the Free Student Union election at the Tribhuvan University colleges was affected on Saturday following the arson and padlocking by various student unions across the country.

According to the election timetable, the colleges had to complete candidate nominations on the day. However, only 18 out of the 60 TU constituent colleges completed the task owing to non-cooperation from disgruntled student unions.

A section of the Nepali Congress-aligned Nepal Student Union and the All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolu-tionary) close to the CPN led by Netra Bikram Chand have padlocked around a dozen colleges in the Valley while the unions close to the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha have resorted to vandalism and arson at the constituent campuses in the Tarai.

Following the demand of the union close to Chand’s party, the TU had postponed the FSU polls till March 1 from February 25. Yet, the union is refusing to cooperate in the election.

“We deferred the poll dates hoping the election would go smoothly. But the situation is still complex,” said Ganga Bahadur Thapa, chief of the Department of Sports and Student Welfare under the university.

On Saturday morning, a group of students set fire to the administration department at the Minbhawan-based Nepal Commerce Campus while unions close to the Morcha torched a section of the Thakur Ram Multiple Campus in Birgunj on Thursday demanding fully proportional election. The TU has adopted a mixed electoral system.

A clash ensued between the NSU and the CPN-UML-aligned ANNFSU on Saturday, disrupting the election process at the RR Campus in the Capital after the former tried to disrupt the nomination process. Both the unions blame each other for igniting the clash. “It’s the ANNFSU which invited the clash by enrolling fake students,” said NSU President Nain Singh Mahar. The ANNFSU has denied the charge.

“The TU led by a vice-chancellor close to the NC decides every process. We want proof of the allegations aimed to defame us,” said ANNFSU Spokesperson RC Lamichhane. Amid the crisis, the TU is preparing to extend the deadline for nomination without deferring the polling day. The biennial election has not been held for eight years due to differences over the poll modality.

Election over in 3 campuses

DHADING: The Free Student Union election was held at three campuses in Dhading district on Saturday.

The alliance of the Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Student Union and the All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary won the vote at Neelkantha Multiple Campus in the district headquarters Dhadingbesi and Machhindra Campus in Naubise.

The alliance of the All Nepal National Free Students Union and the Naya Shakti Student Union won the polls at Adarsha Multiple Campus in Gajuri.

At Neelkantha Campus, Saroj Pandey of the NSU was elected the FSU chairman. At Adarsha Campus, Rupak Giri of the ANNFSU was elected as the student council chair. At Machhindra Campus, Pradip Giri of the NSU won the chairmanship. (PR)