The caste factor has once again overshadowed Delhi University Student's Union (DUSU) elections with both the major players NSUI and ABVP in the poll fray probably pitching candidates belonging to local dominant “Jat” and “Gujjar” community, hailing from Delhi and adjoining areas for DUSU panel.
Be it Congress party's student wing, National Students Union of India (NSUI) which has probably preferred Jats in its panel or the BJP backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) which is banking on Gujjar community, both the student organisations are apparently mired neck deep into the politics of caste and money for winning the elections. The university elections these days are perceived as the “replica” of the assembly elections as the factors like caste, money and muscle play a decisive role in determining the fate of a candidate and the student organisation backing them.
“For the last 10 years the student organisations are more into the politics of caste. Student organisations prefer giving tickets to such candidates who cannot only fetch votes in the name of caste but can also spend huge sum of money. It would not be an exception to say that candidates spend more than one Crore for campaigning and other activities,” said a senior DU teacher, who was active in student politics in his early days on condition of anonymity.
According to top sources within the right wing ABVP, both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates would be from Gujjar community while for the post of Secretary a woman belonging to Jat community would contest. For the joint-secretary post party may either project a popular candidate belonging to the Rajput community from eastern Uttar-Pradesh or a Yadav candidate from Delhi.
Similarly, according to the sources within the NSUI, Jat candidates will bat on the post of DUSU president. Post of secretary and joint secretary may also be possibly contested by Jat candidates. While the ticket for the vice-presidential post may possibly be given to a woman candidate. However, NSUI is also considering the prospects of projecting a Gujjar or a Yadav on any of these posts if needed.
On the other hand left wing All India Students Association (AISA) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) student wing Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), who will contest the DUSU polls jointly have a different vote bank altogether that mainly constitutes of students from the far off states and eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
“Their vote bank mainly constitutes of the students in north campus colleges and particularly those who are from far-off states and reside in hostels and Paying Guest accommodations. Such vote bank in DU mainly falls for the left parties as these students are not localities and are not interested in politics of caste and have altogether different preferences,” said a senior DU teacher, on anonymity.
However, with AISA-CYSS coalition mainly eyeing on votes of students who are from the eastern UP, Bihar and other states and with parties like ABVP and NSUI giving preference to local dominant communities while ignoring others, the newly wedded coalition of AISA-CYSS might find a place in DUSU panel. DUSU elections are due on 12 September.