DUSU polls: NSUI bags posts of prez, vice-prez; ABVP settles with other 2

Ananya Panda 

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 13

It’s a big comeback for the Congress’ National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in Delhi University (DU) as its candidates Rocky Tuseed and Kunal Sehrawat on Tuesday clinched the top two central panel posts— president and vice-president— of DUSU respectively after five years.

Coming close on the heels of triumph in Guwahati, Punjab and Rajasthan varsity elections, NSUI’s victory in DUSU polls will certainly be a shot in its arm for the party which dislodged the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) wresting control over the top two posts reviving its prestige in the national Capital.

Nevertheless, the ABVP, which found solace in higher vote share (64,812 votes) than its traditional opponent’s (Congress’ vote share stood at 63,611 votes), managed to settle with secretary and joint secretary posts that were won by its Mahamedhaa Nagar and Uma Shankar respectively.

Mahamedhaa bagged the secretary seat defeating NSUI's Minakshi Meena by 2,624 votes while Uma Shankar walked away with the joint secretary’s post leaving behind NSUI's Avinash Yadav by 342 votes.

Among all the four posts, the win of Rocky Tusheed in the presidential post remained the biggest delight for NSUI due to the huge margin of 1,590 votes while the contest for the vice-presidential seat was close between its Kunal Sehrawat and ABVP’s Parth Rana who was trounced by Kunal by a narrow 175 votes.

NSUI creies foul, likely to move High Court

The NSUI, which celebrated the victory as “vote against” the ABVP and youth’s “disillusionment” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cried foul over the losing the joint secretary post saying it will file a petition in the High Court challenging the results and seeking a recounting of votes.

“NSUI candidate Avinash Yadav had won the joint secretary post but after complaints from the ABVP, a recounting was done in which the ABVP candidate won. We are planning to approach the High Court to seek a recounting of votes,” said Neeraj Mishra of NSUI.