Winning of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidates in the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) election is being seen as a change in the mood of youth of Delhi.
Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday wrested control of the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) where it won three out four top posts.
While ABVP candidates Aman Awana and Utkarsh Chaudhary were elected as president and vice-president respectively, Raju Rawat, also of ABVP, was elected as the joint secretary.
The results have been devastating for the National Students Union of India (NSUI) who had all the posts in hand till last year. Its candidate Karishma Thakur was the only one to win a top seat. She was elected secretary.
The poll result assumes significance because Delhi assembly elections are due this November. Winning of ABVP candidates is being seen as a change in the mood of youth of Delhi.
It is also being dubbed as “Modi effect”. Aman Awana himself attributed the victory to Modi’s popularity among students and their anger against NSUI.
The Congress has meanwhile rejected the notion that DUSU results are a “Modi effect”. It has presented NSUI’s victory in Punjab and Gujarat student body elections as a proof.
While Narendra Modi is himself chief minister in Gujarat, Punjab is being ruled by NDA ally Prakash Singh Badal. Claiming that DUSU results are “Modi- effect” is a long shot which may or may not be true. If one has to go by the same argument, as Congress general secretary Shakeel ahmed also said, then BJP shall also win assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Delhi.
By the same logic, Congress should consider itself on the winning line in Gujarat and Punjab again.
“By making such claims, BJP exposes its double face. When it had lost similar elections in Gujarat, BJP maintained that student body’s elections are different from assembly elections and general elections,” Shakeel Ahmed told media.
The issues central to the DUSU campaign were corruption, women safety and better administration. The new four year graduation course was also a part of the candidate speeches. ABVB was already a hit when debates were held.
Still, if at all the notion of “Modi effect” turns out to be true will be a major victory for BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as he has always been keen on catching the imagination of the youth of the country.
