Students of Aligarh Muslim University today burnt the effigy of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee accusing him of supporting Vice-Chancellor P K Abdul Azis, who is facing charges of financial irregularities.

The students alleged Mukherjee of supporting Abdul as the latter had obliged the minister by opening an off-campus centre of the University in his constituency.

"We had been given an assurance by Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal two days back that the elections to the students union would be held at an early date. In contravention of that assurance, we have now been informed that the University is prepared to hold elections after January 15th," spokesperson for the agitating students, Mushtaq Ahmad said.

AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar, however, said that the University officials had agreed to hold elections after mid- January to not disturb the academic calendar.