Saffron tide in DU as ABVP sweeps DUSU polls, NSUI bags secretary

New Delhi, Sep 13: The RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) swept the Delhi University Students' Union elections as it won three of the four seats, while the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI) bagged one post.

ABVP won three posts, including that of the president, in Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls while the Congress-backed NSUI bagged the secretary's post. Ashwit Dahiya of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) defeated National Students Union of India (NSUI)'s Chetna Tyagi for the top post by a margin of over 19,000 votes. The posts of vice president and joint secretary were won by ABVP's Pradeep Tanwar and Shivangi Kharwal by a margin of 8,574 and 2,914 votes respectively.

NSUI bagged the secretary's post with its candidate Ashish Lamba defeating ABVP's Yogi Rathee by a margin of 2,053 votes. The voter turnout in DUSU polls on Thursday was recorded at 39.90 per cent, over four percentage points down from the last year. Last year, the election saw a 44.46 per cent voter turnout.

How ABVP nailed it

The ABVP has replicated BJP's Lok Sabha poll strategy and appointed class in-charge for each course of all 51 DUSU-affiliated colleges.

According to ABVP state secretary Siddharth Yadav, the step was aimed at helping his organization understand better the issues and challenges of every student in DU.

He told IANS that the class volunteers were asked to make lists of ABVP supporters, those who supported other groups and those who were neutral.

39.90 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Thursday, a considerable decline of 4 percentage points.

There were total 16 candidates, including 4 women and more than 1.3 lakh students who were eligible to cast their vote.

The low voter turnout was recorded as Thursday was a declared holiday for students across the university as it was polling day.

Many students did not turn up to cast their ballot, which perhaps is the result of thin voter turnout, claimed a few student leaders.

However, full enthusiasm was shown in some of the colleges of North campus-- Law Faculty, Miranda House and Ramjas College, where the scorching heat and humidity did not stop students from casting their vote.

Students also cast their ballots for their individual college unions. Even as the counting of votes was underway, the ABVP claimed that it had bagged at least one post out of 35 posts.

"ABVP has won by a landslide in many college internal polls. These are very encouraging signs, said Sidharth Yadav, State Secretary, ABVP, Delhi.

Claims were also made by NSUI, which said it won in 22 colleges.

"Despite the low turnout, it is a good sign that the outfit has achieved a record mandate in the college student union. We have received a good mandate in girls' colleges, which is a positive sign," said Akshay Laura, Delhi president of NSUI.

Amid voting, NSUI national in-charge alleged that there was an EVM malfunctioned at Aryabhatt college.

When a ballot is pressed for NSUI candidate, EVM does not light up to indicate registration of vote. Our rep is getting more details."

Last year, RSS-backed ABVP had won three posts while the Congress' NSUI won one post.