Ballots over barricades
Students at 50 centres across all campuses of DU ink their choice
It was a big day for Delhi University as several students came out to vote for their preferred candidates at the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections on Friday. Amid heavy barricading and security checks, students at 50 centres across all campuses of DU cast their votes. It was an air filled with the echo of candidates from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) this time again in the campus. Students across North Campus were sure that ABVP would sweep the elections stating that with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, it was important that an allied party of theirs formed the DUSU as it would help bring about effective changes. However, the elections this time did see the visible entry of the left-inclined All India Students’ Association (AISA) which has eaten into a lot of the existing vote bank of ABVP and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
Colleges were packed with students who were eagerly waiting to vote for the party of their choice. Queues were lined up outside the voting area and students were in deep discussions with their friends about whom they should vote for. “We are freshers and have not seen how DU politics works, so we want to be sure that we vote for the right candidate. Thus, we are analysing the pros and cons of all the parties. However, it seems that ABVP is the right choice. They have worked a lot for students as far as we have heard. We have a feeling that bringing ABVP in DUSU will help fasten the process of change,” said Gaurav Bansal, a student of Hindi Honours at Ramjas College.
ABVP definitely had an edge with BJP being at the Centre. Pravisha Mittal, a student of Sociology Honours at Hindu College, said, “There has been an anti-Congress wave in the country since before even general elections. Additionally, we also need someone at DUSU who has good connections with the ruling Government and who’s better than ABVP. It will only benefit the university more because ABVP will be able to get things done quickly.”
Though NSUI didn’t find much mention among students except a few students from the North-East, there were students who were passionately advocating the case of independent candidates. “I want to vote for an independent candidate because they don’t work under the pressure of any party. Anyway after a party wins they don’t do any work. If an Independent candidate is there this culture may change,” said Vikas Yadav, a student of Sanskrit Honours and Rajat Parihar, a student of History Honours, added, “All these parties lie. They never care for the students and all they want to do is win. I don’t trust any party to help us. Only the Independent candidates are the ones who will help us.”
Meanwhile, the suspected AISA wave which was seen pre-election was visible on the voting day as well. However, the students in support of AISA were either those who had read up a lot on the politics of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) or those who didn’t like NSUI and ABVP. “I have been following the JNU elections and have seen AISA work there. I think they are not into this whole money muscle craze. If they come to DUSU then at least we will know that they will not waste money and will work with dedication,” said Nido Kalo, a student of Philosophy Honours in DU. Sanika Mohiadre, student of BCom Honours said that AISA was the only one doing a paper-free campaign and that was why she would vote for them. “ABVP and NSUI only waste money and paper and have littered the campus like anything. However, AISA has followed all guidelines properly and not spread any printed materials. They look dedicated and will be a driving force for DU,” said Sanika.
The results of the DUSU elections will be announced on Saturday, but there is a complete wave of ABVP so far. The other parties which were also a part of the candidature were Indian National Students’ Organisation (INSO), left Students’ Front (lSF) and the newly-formed Chanakya Parishad.