DUSU polls: eight candidates in fray for president’s post

With campaigning in full swing, students were seen with posters and placards in their hands while printed posters dotted the streets throughout North Campus

Delhi University on Friday released the final lists of candidates for each of the four central panel posts in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), elections for which are scheduled to be held on September 27. Eight candidates are in the fray for the president’s post.

This year, a total of 87 candidates had filed nominations for the four posts – president, vice-president, secretary, and joint secretary — which form the central panel that is elected for a year. After the withdrawal of nominations on Friday morning, a fresh notification was released with a total of 21 candidates. There are a total of 10 women candidates. Of the eight presidential candidates, three are women.

With campaigning in full swing, students were seen with posters and placards in their hands while printed posters dotted the streets throughout North Campus.

Campus campaigns

The declaration of the lists was followed by student outfits campaigning in groups, with a few instances of brawls breaking out among the opponents.

The various organisations said that they will release their manifestos on Saturday. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which currently dominates the student body with three members, has nominated Rishabh Chaudhary for the post of president.

The student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said it will fight the polls on a host of issues, including college infrastructure, metro concession pass, and women’s safety on campus.

National Students’ Union of India’s Ronak Khatri, a law student, will take on the ABVP presidential nominee.

The Congress-affiliated outfit, which last won the presidential post in 2017, said it will focus on issues of hostel infrastructure, metro concession, and fee hikes.

While ABVP had won the top post in 2018 and 2019, DUSU elections were not conducted in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Disruptions to the academic calendar prevented elections from taking place in 2022. In 2023, ABVP won the post again when elections were conducted.

Left student outfits All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI), which are contesting the elections in alliance, in a statement, said, “The AISA-SFI alliance has projected itself as the true alternative to the money and muscle politics of ABVP and NSUI.” Saavy Gupta is the presidential candidate of the alliance.

Published - September 21, 2024 12:58 am IST