Delhi University’s campus is never quiet, but in the weeks before the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections, it becomes something more than a place of lectures and examinations. It turns into a political theatre, a space where posters cover every wall, where students gather in small groups to debate, and where conversations in canteens drift inevitably toward one topic: who will lead the students’ union. The stakes are high because DUSU is not just any student body. It is one of the most prestigious and closely watched student organisations in the country, and the contest for its four offices carries political meaning well beyond the university gates. On Monday, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accused the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) of resorting to false allegations and misinformation ahead of the elections. The accusation was sharp, but the message was even sharper. ABVP said that NSUI has chosen to fight the election through social media noise and political attacks rather than through honest conversation about student welfare. At the same time, ABVP claimed that its own panel is gaining support across colleges. For the party, the election is not merely about winning seats. It is about which organisation can claim to represent the true voice of Delhi University’s students, and ABVP believes it is winning that argument one campus conversation at a time. This is the opening round of what will likely become a hard-fought, emotionally charged and deeply personal election.
ABVP has placed its faith in ordinary student connect over online campaigns. The organisation said its candidates have been meeting students directly in colleges, hostels, and corridors, listening to their problems and answering questions about why they should be trusted with the future of the union. The team includes Yash Dabas, contesting for the post of president; Ishu Maurya, fighting for the post of vice-president; Riya Chhabri, running for secretary; and Lakshyaraj Singh, contesting for joint secretary. These four names are now on the lips of hundreds of students across the campus, and ABVP has asked voters to support its full panel in the 7-3-3-3 sequence, a reminder that student politics in Delhi University is not about a single candidate but about a team that must work together for four different responsibilities. In its appeal to voters, ABVP says that the entire panel must be trusted as a single unit, not as a collection of individuals. Candidate by candidate, the plan is simple. Instead of making promises from a distance, ABVP wants to be seen as the group that is present among students, hearing their concerns, noting their demands, and making them feel noticed. This is the style of campus politics that ABVP believes can withstand the aggression of viral campaigns and fake narratives. The campaign, in its telling, is rooted in a sense of humility and service, not in hashtags. For students, this approach invites a simple question: which kind of representative do you actually want, one who knows your struggle personally or one who only knows your profile from the internet? ABVP hopes that answer favours its panel.
ABVP’s allegations against NSUI went beyond general complaints. ABVP alleged that NSUI has failed to engage with real student concerns and has instead chosen an easy path of accusations and propaganda. According to ABVP, NSUI is relying heavily on social media campaigns and political allegations because it does not have a clear foundation on the ground. In a sharply worded statement, ABVP also spoke about what it described as internal differences within NSUI, arguing that controversies around certain members had shown a lack of coordination inside the organisation. For ABVP, this is not just an election tactic but the central argument of their campaign. The Delhi State Secretary Sarthak Sharma made this point directly: “The internal differences and disputes within NSUI clearly show that the organisation is struggling to maintain coordination even among its own people. When an organisation cannot manage its own internal affairs, how can it effectively represent the concerns and aspirations of thousands of Delhi University students? Instead of addressing student issues, NSUI is choosing the easier path of allegations, misinformation and social media propaganda.” The statement aims to make a powerful impression. It suggests that chaos inside NSUI and chaos outside it are part of the same pattern, and a student union run by such a divided body will be incapable of solving the practical problems of student life. In the rough and tumble of campus politics, of course, these accusations will not go unanswered easily. Both sides know that voter trust is fragile, and every allegation, no matter how small, can shift votes. But ABVP believes that NSUI has made a mistake by giving it this opportunity. It wants to present itself as the mature, organised and consistent alternative, a group that has discipline, experience, and a clear vision for the campus community.
Student politics in India has changed dramatically in the last few years. The battlefield has moved from campus walls to Instagram pages, from public meetings to Twitter timelines, from spoken words to camera lenses. There is no denying that social media has become essential for every candidate and every party, and it is also true that it has also created an environment where falsehoods travel faster than truth. NSUI, according to ABVP, is using this new medium as a way to distract voters. But it is not enough on the ground, say workers. A student may scroll past a hundred posts in a minute, but a conversation in front of a college library can stay in the mind for days. College elections are ultimately about impressions, relationships, and the promise that someone is being heard. ABVP claims that with NSUI focusing on viral attacks, it is forgetting that students have more urgent concerns. There are hostels where bathrooms leak and accommodation is impossible. There are examination deadlines that trouble the sleep of thousands. There are scholarship delays that leave families waiting in anxiety. There are questions about safety on campus, about healthcare in university dispensaries, about campus life spaces and convenience. These issues may not always be fashionable online, but they are real, and ABVP says it is making them central to its campaign. The party asks students to support its panel in the 7-3-3-3 sequence, urging them to vote for the whole team, not just because of names and faces, but because it claims to be better prepared to solve these problems. It is a message that can be easily understood by every voter. ABVP insists that social media trends will be temporary, while the problems of campus life remain permanent. This is a story repeated in dozens of college gatherings, and for the ABVP leadership, it has become a proof that the voters are listening.
But behind all the accusations and claims, the true heartbeat of the DUSU election is still in the everyday world of students. They live in crowded rooms, juggle classes, struggle with travel, follow college associations and think about their future careers. Elections are for them a moment to raise their voice, ask questions and make a choice that may shape their campus experience permanently. That is why both ABVP and NSUI fight this election so passionately. Student union elections in DU are not just a celebration of democracy; they are a test of trust, responsibility and politics. ABVP says it understands this better than anyone. NSUI, in its defence, believes its own narrative. It sees NSUI’s campaign as one that is loud because it is enthusiastic, and it will insist that false allegations sometimes come from a legitimate frustration with university administration. But ABVP wants to beat this picture by being calmer and more organised. Its candidates are not just arguing about bigger ideological wars; they talk about specific improvements, interaction, and creating a united platform for student problems. The request for a simple 7-3-3-3 sequence may sound technical, but it is actually symbolic. It says, vote for the team, not just one poster. It says, the union cannot work if the president is from one political group while the secretary is from another. It says, togetherness is power. This kind of message, in a campus environment full of individual ambition, tries to remind students that a collective is stronger than a crowd. Student bodies last when they build united decision-making, and they influence change when they come together as one voice.
At the end, the election will belong to the student. With every meeting, every speech, and every post, the campaign will continue. The ABVP has made its camp and has made clear what it believes students should choose. It tells them to reject political propaganda and falsehood, to look at the actual record of the candidates and to vote for the entire ABVP panel in the 7-3-3-3 sequence. NSUI will certainly return a reply of its own, reminding its supporters of its own history and potential. But that is yet to come. Student politics in Delhi will always be passionate, full of noise, and touched by both accusation and excitement. In this cacophony, the ABVP wants its campaign to be heard as one that is closer to the ground, closer to students, and more focused on the urgent concerns of campus life. It may be too early to predict which side will win seats, but one thing is certain: this DUSU election will be remembered, discussed, and analyzed for months. And for the people who really matter, the voters, the students in classrooms and hostels, the election is a moment to decide what kind of representation they deserve to have. For ABVP, the answer is simple: a team that understands them, engages with them, and is ready to work from day one, and a vote in the form of the 7-3-3-3 sequence will be the first starting step.