DUSU polls this year likely to be a triangular contest

The DUSU elections this year is likely to be a triangular contest between the RSS-affiliated ABVP, the Left-backed AISA and the Congress-affiliated NSUI as AAP's student wing CYSS may not fight the polls.

Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) polls will be held on September 12.

In the last DUSU polls, the All India Students' Association (AISA) had formed an alliance with Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) but the tie-up had failed to make a dent in the vote share of the ABVP and the NSUI.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has already got into the poll mode and has announced its list of 10 probable candidates, out of which four will be shortlisted.

 

The 10 candidates have already started visiting colleges and hostels to talk to students. On the basis of their popularity and their interactions with students, four out of them will be finalised to represent the party, a functionary of the ABVP said.

The Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and AISA, are still in the process of finalising their candidates.

Both the parties are likely to talk about how the ABVP is trying to "saffronise the campus" and has brought a culture of violence to DU during their campaign.

The functionaries of both the parties said they will tell students how the right-wing outfit cheated them by nominating Ankiv Baisoya, who had allegedly got admission to the varsity on a fake certificate.

Baisoya was elected as DUSU president but after his certificate was found fake, the varsity had filed an FIR against him. Vice president Shakti Singh, also an ABVP member, had replaced him.

Meanwhile, a functionary of the ABVP said, "We will raise the issue of lack of hostels for students. Getting new hostels for students will figure on the party's agenda. The students will also be told about the achievements of the Centre, including abrogation of Article 370."

Another functionary of the party said due to the recent installation of busts of Veer Savarkar, Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh without permission, the party had gained a positive feedback from students. The busts were subsequently removed by the ABVP.

The NSUI will launch its campaign, 'Awaaz Uthao, Seeti Bajao' under which they will raise issues of Baisoya fake certificate, 'charade of nationalism branded about by ABVP' and the 'goondaism of the right-wing outfit', sources from the outfit said.

According to Akshay Lakra, Delhi unit president of NSUI, their campaign will focus on equal opportunity.

"By equal opportunity, we mean that colleges in North Campus have adequate facilities but DU colleges in far flung areas do not have the same kind of facilities. Why is there discrimination? We will demand that all colleges of the varsity be given equal importance," he pointed out.

Apart from training its guns at the ABVP for its brand of politics, the AISA will raise the issue of cheap public transport for students, including having concessional passes for students.

"This election is a battle of ideology - Left versus Right. The NSUI is nowhere to be seen till now. We will talk about how the ABVP cheated students and how they have brought a culture of violence. They had even tried to attack the syllabus committee members, " Delhi president of AISA, Kawalpreet Kaur said.

Kaur said they will also be raising the issue of cheap accommodation for students.

There are few hostels for students and some of the hostels charge high fees from students, she said.

The CYSS, in all probability, will not contest the elections this time around. However, a final decision of the election committee of the CYSS will be taken on September 1, a party functionary said.

"Since the Vidhan Sabha elections are slated in the next few months, the party is focussing on them and has more or less decided not to contest DUSU polls this time. But a final decision will be taken on September 1. Our party's candidates will fight Central Council elections of the varsity," the functionary said and added that even if the party contests DUSU polls, it will be going solo.