Dhananjay, a Dalit research scholar and the President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) for the term 2023-24, is preparing for his first electoral campaign from the Bhore constituency after securing a ticket from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI(ML)).
This constituency was narrowly contested in the previous election, where the CPI(ML) lost by a mere 462 votes to JD(U)’s Sunil Kumar. Dhananjay’s entry into the political scene marks a significant move beyond student politics. The Bhore seat is viewed as a promising target for the Left in Bihar.
In support of Dhananjay, the JNU unit of the All India Student Association (AISA) issued a statement, expressing their solidarity: “Comrade Dhananjay, the previous JNUSU President, is going to contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly election from Mahagathbandhan as a CPI(ML) candidate from the Bhore constituency. We appeal to the JNU community to stand in solidarity with Comrade Dhananjay in this new endeavour. We wish him all the success.”
Dhananjay hails from a Dalit family in Gaya, where he is the son of a retired policeman and a homemaker. He completed his schooling in Ranchi and later graduated in Political Science from Aurobindo College at Delhi University before obtaining his Master’s degree from Ambedkar University Delhi.
His political activism began as a student councillor at Ambedkar University and progressed through AISA, culminating in his election as JNUSU President, making him the first Dalit in nearly two decades to hold this position. Dhananjay has frequently discussed how both overt and subtle caste discrimination during his childhood have shaped his political awareness.
In addition to his political activities, Dhananjay is a writer, poet, and theatre artist. He is associated with the Delhi-based cultural group Sangwari, where his plays and songs are regularly featured in Leftist platforms, including those affiliated with AISA and CPI(ML).
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