Goyals come together again, file nominations

CHANDIGARH:THE alliance between Navdeep Goyal and Ashok Goyal groups will continue in the upcoming senate elections of Panjab University (PU).

Both filed their nominations for senate elections from the faculties on Thursday besides four other candidates from their group. During the last election of PU senate, Ashok and Navdeep were in opposite camps.

While Navdeep has submitted his nomination from the faculty of sciences, Ashok has filed it from the medical faculty. Along with them, Prof Ronki Ram has filed his nomination from the arts faculty. Prof Keshav Malhotra is contesting from a combined faculty and Prof Rajesh Gill has given her nomination from faculty of languages. Anu Chathrat will be contesting from the faculty of law.

The alliance between power groups of Goyals was forged during the syndicate elections of 2018. Navdeep said, “We have been together for almost two years, so why break our understanding now.”

The election for 91-member PU senate, which is the apex governing body of the university, is scheduled in August and September this year. However, concerns have come from many corners over the conduction of the polls amid the Covid-19 pandemic, especially for registered graduate constituency. As many as 15 members are elected from a registered graduate constituency.

Meanwhile on Thursday, two members were nominated for the senate by Vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chancellor of PU. The two nominees are Suresh Tandon, former vice-chairman of Punjab School Education Board, and Prof Sanjay Kaushik, dean of PU College Development Council.

They have been nominated against the seats vacated due to the resignation of PU fellows Prof Shelly Walia and Prof Amita Rishi.