(L to R) ABVP’s Deepika Jha, Aryan Maan, Sarthak Sharma (Delhi secy) & Kunal Chaudhary celebrate (Image credit: Tarun Rawat)
NEW DELHI: The RSS-backed ABVP bagged three key positions, including that of president, in the fiercely contested Delhi University Students’ Union (Dusu) elections while the Congress-backed NSUI, which held the top post last year, managed to secure just one. The counting of votes took place Friday.ABVP’s Aryan Maan won the president’s post, receiving 28,841 votes to defeat NSUI’s Joslyn Nandita Choudhary (12,645 votes) by a margin of 16,196 votes. NSUI’s Rahul Jhansla emerged victorious as vice-president, getting 29,339 votes to defeat ABVP’s Govind Tanwar, who managed 20,547 votes. ABVP’s Kunal Chaudhary secured 23,779 votes to win the secretary’s post, defeating NSUI’s Kabir, while Deepika Jha claimed the joint secretary’s post with 21,825 votes, overcoming NSUI’s Lavkush Bhadana.ABVP’s vote share climbed from 34.7% to 48.1%, its highest in over a decade. “The students of DU have sent a strong message… they trust us,” Maan said after the victory, draped in the tricolour and surrounded by his jubilant supporters. He promised his first priority as president would be to push for concessional metro passes for students, a long-standing demand across colleges. “We will work for every student and address all their concerns,” he said. Aryan Maan’s victory on Friday in the Dusu elections carried particular significance, not only because it reclaimed the top post for ABVP after last year’s loss, but also because of its scale. The margin for the presidential race leapt from just 1,343 votes in 2024 to over 16,000 this year, a more than 12-fold increase.As the results trickled in at Delhi University Sports Centre in North Campus, the streets echoed with applause and cheers. Outside, supporters gathered, chanting “Maan, Maan” as the newly-elected president was hoisted onto the shoulders of his followers, waving the tricolour.A large crowd showered flower petals on the winners as they reached the Arts Faculty. In line with Delhi High Court’s directives, the usual fanfare of firecrackers and dhols was largely absent, though occasional drumbeats could be heard. However, ABVP clarified it was not responsible for these. At the Arts Faculty, the winners posed before the Swami Vivekananda statue soon after, continuing a long-standing campus tradition.NSUI’s Rahul Jhansla, who had the highest vote tally among all winners, outlined his priorities with quiet determination: “My top priority is to launch mental health initiatives, with at least one counsellor in every college. I have been raising student issues for six years, and I will continue to stand up for them.”ABVP’s Kunal Chaudhary expressed gratitude to the student body, saying, “I thank every DU student with folded hands – this victory is because of them. My focus will be on getting Wi-Fi installed across colleges and pursuing metro travel concessions.”Deepika Jha, also from ABVP, called the moment “emotional and proud”. “For women students, we will work to create girls’ common rooms in all colleges and ensure regular patrolling outside girls’ colleges,” she said, as supporters showered her with garlands.Among the AISA-SFI candidates, Anjali received 5,385 votes for president, Sohan Kumar secured 4,163 votes for vice-president, Abhinandana Pratyashi got 9,535 votes for secretary and Abhishek Kumar garnered 8,425 votes for joint secretary.In 2024, NSUI won the president’s post after a seven-year gap. Its national president Varun Choudhary wrote on X: “NSUI fought well… not just against ABVP, but against the combined force of DU admin, Delhi govt, central govt, RSS-BJP & Delhi Police. Yet thousands of DU students stood firmly with us.”Since its start in 1954, the Dusu elections have been a cornerstone of student politics, influencing discourse across the university’s 52 affiliated colleges. Over the years, ABVP has emerged as a dominant force, notably sweeping all four key posts in 2015 and continuing its strong performance by winning three major positions in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2023. Yet, NSUI has remained a persistent challenger, achieving a major breakthrough in 2017 by securing two posts and frequently claiming the vice-president position in subsequent years, consolidating its presence on campus.Voter turnout this year rose to 39.4% from 35.2% in 2024. Turnout has reflected the shifting tides of student engagement, ranging from 36.9% in 2016 to a peak of 43.8% in 2018. These variations underscore the competitiveness of DU politics, with Dusu serving as a microcosm of broader democratic processes in the country.The “None of the Above” (NOTA) option drew notable support in the DUSU elections for 2025-26, with 23,674 students opting for it across the four posts. This surge highlighted a clear sense of discontent among the student electorate. Go to Source
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