The polls to the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) will see a woman candidate fighting for the president’s post from the Congress-backed NSUI after a gap of 11 years, while its rival ABVP had last fielded a woman candidate in 2011.
Out of the 12 candidates in fray, there are only four women in contention.
National Student’s Union of India’s Chetna Tyagi will take on Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s Akshit Dahiya and Left-backed All India Students’ Association’s (AISA) Damini Kain for the post of president.
In 2008, the NSUI had fielded Sonia Sapra, who had lost the top post to ABVP's Nupur Sharma. Thereafter, the Congress' student outfit has not fielded any woman candidate for the president's post.
Its arch-rival, RSS-backed ABVP, had fielded Neha Singh for the top DUSU post in 2011, but she had lost out to the NSUI candidate.
The Left-backed AISA, however, has preferred women for the president's post, with the last year being an exception, when they fielded Abhigyan. The AISA had last year contested in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party's Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS).
Other Candidates in the Fray
The ABVP has fielded Pradeep Tanwar for the vice-president’s post, Yogit Rathee for secretary and Shivangi Kherwal for the post of joint secretary.
ABVP's presidential candidate Dahiya completed his BSc in Physical Sciences from Ramjas College in 2019, and is currently in his first year of LLB at the Faculty of Law. He is a silver medallist in body-building from Delhi University.
Pradeep Tanwar completed his graduation from PGDAV College in BA Programme in 2018, and is currently pursuing his Masters in Hindi from Deshbandhu College.
Rathee completed his graduation from Ramjas College in BA (Hons) History in 2017 and was the president of Ramjas College Students' Union. He is currently in third year LLB at the Faculty of Law.
Kherwal completed her graduation from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College in BA Programme this year and is currently pursuing her MA in Buddhist Studies. She is a member of ABVP National Executive Body.
The NSUI has fielded Ankit Bharti for the vice-president’s post, Ashish Lamba for secretary and Abhishek Chaprana for the joint secretary’s post.
Their president pick, Chetna Tyagi, has been a DUSU executive councillor and a swimming player. She is currently studying at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (Evening).
“At a time when the BJP is protecting rapists and RSS is promoting misogyny, the NSUI is proud to announce that our DUSU presidential candidate is a bright and fearless woman.”NSUI In-Charge Ruchi Gupta
AISA has fielded Aftab Alam for the post of vice-president, Vikas Kumar for secretary and Chetna for the joint-secretary’s post.
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