A strong organisational network, year-round presence on the campus, a collective campaign strategy and a sharper social media push helped the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), to secure a decisive victory in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, winning the key posts of President, Secretary and Joint Secretary, while the National Students Union of India (NSUI) claimed the Vice President position in the high-octane polls.
Aryan Maan of the ABVP secured the crucial presidential post, defeating his closest rival, Jocelyn Nandita Choudhary of the NSUI, by a margin of 16,196 votes. Maan received 28,841 votes, while Choudhary garnered 12,645. The Left-backed AISA-SFI candidate Anjali stood a distant third with 5,385 votes.
In a dramatic turn of events, the NSUI managed to hold on to only one post, with Rahul Jhansla winning the vice president’s seat. Jhansla secured 29,339 votes, defeating ABVP’s Govind Tanwar, who received 20,547.
The ABVP’s victory was cemented by Kunal Chaudhary, who won the secretary’s post with 23,779 votes, and Deepika Jha, who was elected joint secretary with 21,825 votes. Chaudhary defeated NSUI’s Kabir, while Jha triumphed over Lavkush Bhadana.
After the victory, Maan, the new president of the students’ union, said he was 100 per cent confident of his win. “I had the support of students across colleges. My first priority will be to fulfill our promise of metro concessional passes for DU students. Apart from that, ensuring that adequate training equipment is provided to all our athletes will be my priority,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the winning candidates, stating that the victory reflects the youth’s faith in the “Nation First” ideology.
“Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all young comrades on ABVP’s splendid victory in the DUSU election,” said Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. “This victory is not just of an organisation but of every youth who considers patriotism, discipline, service, and struggle as the guiding path of their life.”
ABVP leaders attributed their victory to “consistent work and collective strength”, while the NSUI alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and bias in the process. Yet, the winning margins reflected that the organisational edge of the ABVP, combined with the NSUI’s fragmented and candidate-driven approach, decisively shaped the outcome.
In a post on X, NSUI national president Varun Choudhary said the party “fought well in this odd election — not just against the ABVP, but against the combined force of the DU admin, Delhi Government, Central Government, RSS-BJP & Delhi Police”. “Yet thousands of DU students stood firmly with us and our candidates fought well. Best wishes to Rahul Jhansla, newly elected DUSU vice president from NSUI panel and to all other office bearers who won. Win or lose, NSUI will always fight for common students, their issues and to save DU. We will only grow stronger.”
One of the key factors behind the ABVP’s success was its expansive cadre base across DU colleges. The organisation’s collective approach ensured that even candidates who did not receive tickets continued to work for the campaign, creating a wider presence on the ground. In comparison, the NSUI’s outreach was built largely around individual candidates rather than the organisation.
The ABVP leveraged social media more effectively than its rivals, using it to amplify promises, such as subsidised metro passes, free Wi-Fi and better sports facilities. The NSUI, meanwhile, faced criticism linked to outgoing president Ronak Khatri, who, despite a strong media presence, was seen by many students as having failed to deliver on his manifesto commitments. However, Khatri always complained of an “ABVP-DU administration coalition”.
The newly elected DUSU president, Aryan Maan, a national-level football player and state executive member of the ABVP, expressed his gratitude to the students. “My dream for the past 5 years has been fulfilled,” Maan said. “We again gave a befitting reply to the NSUI and won 3-1 against them. We will work to make the campus safer for female students by installing lights in dark spots.” On the other hand, the NSUI national president, Varun Choudhary, alleged that the organisation was not only contesting against the ABVP but also against a “combined force” of the Delhi University administration, Delhi Government, Centre, RSS-BJP, and Delhi Police.
“We are proud of our candidates who fought this election with courage and integrity. The RSS-BJP-backed ABVP, with the support of DU election authorities, shamelessly attempted to steal the elections by manipulating EVMs and involving professors. But no matter how much they misuse power, NSUI will always stand with students, fight for their rights, and protect Delhi University. Win or loss, every struggle makes us stronger,” he said.