Delhi University Students Union Elections: Low Turnout, Fierce Clash Between ABVP and NSUI

Counting for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections began late on Saturday, and the numbers that came in were sobering – only 39.78% of eligible voters actually cast a ballot. That figure, released by the university, has already become a talking point, but the real fireworks are coming from the two main student parties.

ABVP’s campus leader, Aryan Maan, didn’t waste any time. In a heated post‑count interview he accused the rival National Students' Union of India (NSUI) of “fabricating college ID cards” to slip bogus votes into the box. “We caught a student from LC‑2 with a fake ID that was handed over by NSUI workers,” he said, adding that the incident was just one of “hundreds” of similar cases. The tone was unmistakable – a mix of frustration and a hint of theatrics, as he painted the allegations as proof of a “sore loser attitude” from the opposition.

The ABVP’s own slate for the union includes Yash Dabas for president, Ishu Maurya as vice‑president, Riya Chhawadi for secretary and Lakshya Raj Singh as joint secretary. Dabas, speaking to the press, promised safety audits of hostels, new girls’ hostels in every college and a helpline for students living in PG accommodations. He also invoked the recent Satya Niketan tragedy, promising to keep protests alive until the municipal commissioner steps down.

On the other side, NSUI’s national president Vinod Jakhar fired back with a scathing critique of the ruling party’s influence on campus politics. “Students are voting against the BJP, RSS and ABVP – the very forces that have tarnished Delhi University,” he declared, referencing the same Satya Niketan incident as a symbol of institutional neglect. Jakhar claimed that BJP leaders, from MLAs to mayors, were trying to sway the outcome, while NSUI workers faced arrests and harassment. He rounded off his remarks with confidence, saying the NSUI team – Vijay Shankar Meena, Vir Chatrath, Namrata Chaudhary and Gopal Choudhary – was poised for a “clean sweep”.

Both parties have, unsurprisingly, expressed certainty about winning. Yet with less than two‑fifths of the electorate turning up, the legitimacy of any mandate is bound to be questioned. Whether the accusations of fake IDs hold water, or whether the BJP’s alleged interference will be probed, remains to be seen as the final results are tabulated.

For now, the campus is abuzz with speculation, protests and a fair share of drama – the kind of student politics that feels both timeless and instantly modern.