NSUI sweeps DUSU polls

The Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) won three of the top four positions in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections. They wrested control of DUSU from BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP),which had won all seats except that of the president last year.

DUSU election results were announced on Saturday.

NSUI candidates were elected to the posts of the president,vice-president and secretary. The joint-secretary post was tied between NSUI and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidates.

After defeating his rival,Ankit Dhananjay Choudhary of ABVP,by 5,465 votes,NSUI’s Arun Hooda became the president of DUSU.

Hooda polled 17,621 votes against Choudhary’s 12,156.

Varun Khari and Varun Chaudhary of NSUI were elected vice-president and secretary,respectively. Khari polled 17,848 votes,to defeat ABVP’s Gaurav Chaudhary by 4,475 votes.

Varun Choudhary polled 15,605 votes,defeating ABVP’s Ritu Rana by 2,617 votes.

The post of joint secretary was tied between NSUI candidate Raveena Choudhary and ABVP’s Vishu Basoya — at 13,164 votes each.

“I promise to work hard on all the issues raised during our campaign,” Hooda,a second-year law student,said after the results were declared.

NSUI spokesperson Amrishranjan Pandey said: “Saffron has been completely swept off from the DU campus this year.”

Last year,Ajay Chikkara of NSUI had been elected the president while the remaining three posts were held by ABVP members.

As soon as reports of NSUI candidates’ victory in three seats came in,the party took out a victory procession from the Faculty of Law to Vivekananda statue in front of the Arts Faculty.

Reacting to the results,ABVP members said the polls were rigged.

ABVP state secretary Rohit Chahal said the results were crafted in favour of Congress’s student wing.

“This was well-planned. They wanted to ensure that NSUI wins. What were Congress MPs Deepender Hooda and Bhupender Hooda doing in the campus early in the morning?” Chahal asked.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi met and congratulated the winners. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also congratulated victorious students,who had gathered at 10 Janpath,Sonia Gandhi’s residence.

The CM said the victory reiterates people’s faith in Congress.

Police use force as students clash on campus,13 injured

High drama surrounded the announcement of the DUSU election results on Saturday.

Sources said as news of the NSUI candidates leading in the majority of seats came in,some students,reportedly belonging to the ABVP,began creating a ruckus where the counting of votes took place.

They broke barricades,shouted slogans against Congress and the Delhi government,alleging “abuse of power” and clashed with police,who were posted in huge numbers to prevent untoward incidents.

They pelted stones at the Delhi University Students’ Union building and damaged the boards. However,the police charged them with lathis and they ran into the Central Library of the Arts Faculty.

“After these students came in,several policemen entered the library and took random students with them,” Mukul Singh,one of the students in the library,said.

According to DCP (North) Sindhu Pillai,police received a complaint from university authorities that some students were “trying to forcefully enter the building with the alleged objective of seizing the EVMs”.

ABVP claimed that two of its candidates — Ankit and Vishu Basoya — were also injured and taken to hospital. The party has called for a “university bandh” on Monday.

ABVP state secretary Rohit Chahal said,“We are not demanding a recounting. We are asking for an inquiry by an external agency. We will not allow classes to take place on Monday.”

Dr R B Mittal,Medical Superintendent of Hindu Rao Hospital,said: “Around 13 were brought here. Most had sustained minor injuries. Two of them appeared to be serious,so we referred them to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.”