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Students of the prestigious Delhi University cast their votes on Wednesday, 12 September, for election of the next Students' Union. The polls are being seen as a triangular fight between the RSS-affiliated ABVP, Congress' NSUI, and the alliance between AISA and AAP's student wing CYSS.
The counting of the votes will take place on Thursday, with the results expected to be announced on the same day.
Notably, a number of students who The Quint spoke to on the day of the voting displayed a mistrust towards and disillusionment with the student wings which have been in power for the past few years, criticising them for failed promises, the reckless use of money and the culture of needless pamphleteering.
Some even urged their fellow students to vote for the None of the Above (NOTA) option to give a message to the contestants.
"This is my fourth election in Delhi University. I haven't seen anything change in four years. The same things are being repeated even when a different party won the election last year. Hence, vote for NOTA because that will send these parties a message that just by spending money, you can't win an election," said Pratik Singh, a student of the Campus Law Centre.
A few others were more optimistic, pointing out that some progress has been seen in the past, and urging everyone to exercise their franchise.
It’s wrong to say that we won’t vote. If you don’t vote, how can you expect change? A candidate’s hardline supporters will always vote for him. But [if] you will never vote, how will you bring change? If you don’t vote, then who will make them accountable? Their hardline supporters will never ask for accountability. Only a neutral voter demands accountability.Shivam, DU student, to The Quint
But is this underlying disillusionment among some students big enough to make any significant impact on the election results? That would be known only on Thursday when the results are announced.
Last year, the NSUI made gains in the DUSU elections by winning two posts out of four – that of president and vice-president. Meanwhile, ABVP clinched the posts of the secretary and joint secretary.
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