As Delhi University Student’s Union election begins on September 9 and nominees will be announced on August 30, candidates of two major students’ organisations, ABVP and NSUI, are gearing up for the campaign. While ABVP candidates this year are Neha Singh (MA Buddhism), Puja Guliya, Mani Rana, (3rd year student, Aditi College), Vikas Yadav (Ram Lal Anand college), Deepak Bansal, and Vikas Chaudhary, (Moti Lal Nehru College); NSUI is still to finalise its candidates. The tentative names are Ajay Chikara from Law Faculty, Bhupendra Singh, Parag Sharma, (MA Buddhist) and Garima Tiwari (Miranda House).
According to the candidates, the campaign is conducted as per the official guidelines of DU, which includes abstaining from campaigning in open jeeps, using drums and other musical instruments. As each candidate holds an individual budget of `5,000 and limited modes of campaigning, personal interaction holds the key for ABVP candidates.
Informing about the party’s agenda and campaign policy, ABVP’s Neha Singh says, “We are mainly campaigning by word of mouth this year, and visiting colleges and meeting each student individually. We’re distributing logo cards with numbers so students can personally contact us with their problems. Besides fighting corruption, appealing for more new colleges and seats and feeder bus services in South campus too figure high on our agenda.”
Vikas Chaudhary, a first year student from Moti Lal Nehru College, says, “It’s a great feeling to be contesting elections for the first time. Besides cards in English I’m also handing out my individual hand-print cards in Hindi, for better impact.”
As ABVP looks to interact personally, NSUI has rolled out various programmes for campaigning. Deepika Deshwal from NSUI, says, “We are campaigning in groups by sending 50 people from the party to colleges to interact with the students. In the evenings we’re holding hostel-wise campaigns and distributing cards, T-shirts, pens and diaries to students.”
NSUI also conducts an annual Madhvi Quiz competition, as part of their campaign. It’s a quiz based on current issues and general knowledge, where winners pocket a prize of `15,000 and runner-ups get `10,000 and `5,000 respectively. They’re also organising Girls’ college conventions, where girls from all colleges are invited to share their problems and college issues.
Focusing on new agendas, Ajay Chikara, a contestant for the DUSU president’s post, reveals, “Although our manifesto is yet to be released, hike in hostel fees this year and women-related problems is our main target.”
Students reveal that campaigning on the campus is yet to gain steam and the atmosphere is relatively calm for the pre-poll season. Others share that parties are making their presence felt in the name of Anna Hazare. Arjun Shrinivas of Hindu College, shares, “The election scene in colleges seems tepid this time around. Even parties, who are bothering to interact with us, are doing so with respect to the Anna phenomenon rather than focusing on university issues. After the parties’ collective apathy in the face of forced hostel evictions during the CWG, the students seem to be a touch disillusioned with the parties’ commitment towards them.”
Seconds Rhea Rina, a third year student, Hans Raj College, “Parties are all over with rallies supporting Anna Hazare. This way they are also promoting their agendas. ABVP also plans to conduct havan to support the cause.”