After a gap of 12 years which means six terms,the Left-leaning group commonly known by the name of D P Maur group made a comeback in the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) non-teaching employees elections. After staying out of power for more than a decade, the Maur group,which is now led by Paramjit Singh Gill,swept all 15 executive posts leaving arch rivals,the Mundi group,without a single seat.

• Established in 1962 to serve the state of erstwhile Punjab
• Inaugurated by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Prime Minister of India on July 8, 1963
• In February 1970, Haryana Agricultural University carved out by an Act of Parliament
• In July 1970, HP Krishi Vishvavidalya established at Palampur campus
• In 2006, the College of Veterinary Sciences upgraded as Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University at Ludhiana
• Modelled on the pattern of land grant colleges in US
• Has played a key role in increasing food production in Punjab state and ushering in an era of Green Revolution in India
• Has made notable contributions in increasing livestock and poultry production in the state
• In 1995, was adjudged as Best Agricultural University in India

Fighting under the symbol of mango,Gill defeated Harbans Singh Mundi by a margin of 188 votes. Baldev Singh Walia was elected senior vice-president and he won by 179 votes.

Lakwinder Singh Sandhu,who was earlier vice president in the Mundi group and rebelled to join the Maur group,won his seat of senior vice-president (reserved) by a the largest margin of 239 votes.

The others who won today’s elections include Gurmail Singh Tung as vice-president (open),Manmohan Singh as senior vice-president (reserved),Gulzar Singh Pandher as general secretary,Jarnail Singh as treasurer,Gurpreet Singh and Lal Bahadur Yadav as secretaries,Parveen Kumar Garg and Narinder Singh Sekhon as joint treasurers,Jai Pal Singh and Kuldip Singh as organising secretaries,and Harminder Singh and Parkash Singh as propaganda secretaries.

Commenting on his victory,Gill said,“The employees of the university gave six terms to the Mundi group which failed to meet the needs of the staff. Hence,they have been voted out. While our work over the next two years will speak for itself,we as an executive assure the voters that we will work for the wellbeing of the entire community and not just one group or the other.

he Mango Group has won as many as 11 posts out of 15 of the PAU Employees Union election, the result of which was declared on Thursday afternoon. Members from the rival Cycle group have won the remaining four posts. There was a huge rush at the examination hall of the College of Agriculture where the votes were being counted. As many as 946 non-teaching staff cast their votes on Wednesday, making the total voting percentage at 97.33.