Bhubaneswar, Oct. 10 -- Tension prevailed at Nimapara Autonomous College on Saturday after the rejection of 39 candidates' nominations for the students' union election triggered protests. Protesters locked the main gate and staged a sit-in outside the administrative block and demanded that the rejected candidates be allowed to contest.

AISF state president Sanghamitra Jena, local BJD leader Dilip Nayak and BJD student activists took part in the protest. They demanded that the candidatures of students excluded from the final list for having less than 75 per cent attendance be retained.

They also sought the suspension of the college principal, warning that the election should be cancelled if their demands were not met.

A total of 53 cand...