Not many UP student union leaders enter 'real politics'

Lucknow, Dec 20 (UNI) Despite a hue and cry over postponement of students union elections in Uttar Pradesh after student's unrest over Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, the fact remains that not many student leaders in the state manage to enter state politics.

While student leaders claim their interest in holding Student Union posts lies solely in students' welfare, the fact is they desire to enter the ''larger political arena''.

But former Lucknow University Student Union (LUSU) president Rakesh Singh Rana is perhaps the only example in the recent past to have managed a birth in the state legislature.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav rewarded Rana, who was LUSU president in 1992-93, in March this year for his long association with the Samajwadi Party.

However, observers feel student unions are no more an easy route to reach state legislature, leave alone Parliament. Though Rana has seen success, no other office-bearer of student unions have been able to get a ticket for state legislature/Parliament in the past 14 years.

No mainstream political parties have found any of the presidents of state student unions to give party tickets in the past more than a decade.

So far, Brajesh Pathak -- LUSU president in 1991-92-- has been the only one who managed to win a Parliament seat, from Unnao on BSP ticket in 2004.

But students do agree that a students union background help leaders get comfortable businesses. Most have turned contractors, using political clout.

Rebel Rashtriya Lok Dal legislator Samar Pal Singh has been rated as the most successful politician emerging from the student politics in the state so far.

Pal, the LUSU president in 1987-88, reached the Legislative Council in 1990 and after completing his tenure there has won the Barnava Assembly seat in Bagpat district for the last three times.

Citing examples of the five former LUSU presidents, Arvind Singh Gope, Daya Shankar Singh, Shailesh Kumar Singh Shailu, Abhishek Singh Aashu and Rajpal Kashyap, observers said barring them, no one else have even found a place on the platform of any political party and are still looking for options.

UNI NAB SB PA ND1348