New Delhi: Khalid Abdallah, 29-year-old Sudanese student contesting the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students' Union polls, has won the election - he is the first African student to win an election in the history of JNU.
"I have won the councillor post at the School of International Studies (SIS). Of the 23 candidates contesting for five councillor posts, I have won one seat," an elated Abdallah told IANS.
"Of the 600 votes, I got 192 votes. Of the five candidates who won the five posts, I stood at number three," said the M.Phil scholar.
Abdallah, who contested the election under the All India Students Association (AISA) banner, said he joined the fray to learn politics in India and restore democracy back home in Sudan.
"Like Pakistan, my country is suffering from dictatorship. People in Sudan need efficient people to restore democracy and my contest in the JNU elections is a step in that direction," he said.
"The post I won is not a high-profile one, but this is stepping stone in the direction of learning the democratic electoral process. After I return to my country, I can use my experience," he said, adding that for the last 18 years "people in Sudan have not been enjoying real democracy".
Abdallah said he has a "long way to go" but the JNU elections would help him understand Indian politics closely.
Expressing happiness over the win of Abdallah, AISA president Awadhesh said: "We are proud that an African student won the elections, defeating 18 others from India."
"He made history by becoming the first African student to win any post in a students' union polls," he said.
JNU went to polls on Friday with 5,500 students eligible to cast vote. This year's electiona saw a whopping 68 percent voting turnout, three percent more than last year.
