The NSUI swept the Delhi University Students Union (Dusu) polls, winning all three top posts of president, vice-president and secretary, leaving the destiny of joint secretary under recount after a tie. A tie has occurred for the first time in Dusu poll history.
Stunned by the decimation, the ABVP refused to accept the results alleging irregularities and conspiracy.
High drama overshadowed the announcement of the results with ABVP cadre creating ruckus on the campus where the counting of votes took place, prompting the police to use mild force. The ABVP activists broke through the barricades and climbed the gates of the election office. The police had a tough time controlling the agitators.
The activists of the ABVP, which fought the polls on anti-corruption and inflation plank, broke barricades and shouted slogans against the Congress and the Delhi government, alleging “abuse of power”.
NSUI’s Arun Hooda defeated his nearest rival Ankit Dhananjoy Choudhry of ABVP for the post of president by a margin of 5,465 votes. Hooda polled 17,621 votes against Choudhry’s 12,156 votes.
NSUI’s Varun Khari defeated ABVP’s Gaurav Chaudhary to grab the post of vice-president, while Varun Choudhry won the post of secretary defeating ABVP’s Ritu Rana. There has been a tie between NSUI’s Raveena Choudhary and ABVP’s Vishu Basoya for the post of joint secretary.
According to the Lyngdoh Committee, the constitution does not have a provision of a tie-breaker. The candidates Vishnu Basoya and Raveena Choudhary were asked by chief election officer Satish Kumar to choose either recounting of votes or divide the term into 6 months each, and taking control of the seat in the alphabetical order.
“It is a wipe out of the saffron force in the Delhi University,” NSUI spokesperson Amrish Pandey said.
The NSUI took control of the students’ union after a gap of two years as the outfit could win only the president’s post last year. All other posts were won by the ABVP in 2011 elections.
ABVP’s state secretary Rohit Chahal charged that the results were crafted in favour of Congress’s student wing. “This was all done with planning. They wanted to ensure that NSUI wins. What were Congress MPs Deepender Hooda and Bhupender Hooda doing in the campus early in the morning?” asked Chahal.
“The machines were not shown to the candidates at the counting centre. We want re-count of all seats,” Chahal said.
Celebrations broke out in the NSUI camp and the victorious candidates were carried away by cheering supporters around the campus.
Two ABVP candidates, Ankit and Vishu Basoya were also injured.
“At least 10 of our boys are injured, some even have fractures. Two of them got head injuries,” Chahal said. The students were admitted to Bara Hindu Rao hospital.
Dusu is the representative body of the students from most colleges and faculties of Delhi University.
Meanwhile, chief minister Sheila Dikshit congratulated the victorious NSUI candidates and said the election outcome reflected people’s support for the Congress.
“This landslide victory establishes that the Congress and its ideology are dear to the youth of the capital,” she said.
“The victory reflects peoples’ belief and faith in the Congress party led by Sonia Gandhi,” Ms Dikshit said.
Ms Dikshit asked all the winners to work for betterment of the students in Delhi University when they called on her.
She said that the student community has witnessed the development by the Delhi government and it helped them in making the right choice.
Ms Dikshit accompanied the winners when they called on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi.