NEW DELHI: With campaigning officially ending at 8 am on Wednesday, candidates contesting the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections shifted focus to digital outreach, personal calls and last-minute appeals on social media. Voting will be held today in two phases — between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm for day classes and 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm for evening classes.
Results will be declared on September 19. With the model code of conduct in place, the Delhi University campus witnessed a lull in physical campaigning, though candidates kept busy in other ways.
Many were seen meeting friends over tea in campus canteens, visiting temples, calling up first-year students to encourage voting and posting appeals online. Satirical cartoons, reels and trending hashtags dominated much of the digital buzz. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) was seen focusing on mobilising freshers through online campaigns.
Their digital push included video messages and targeted content urging students to vote in large numbers. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), meanwhile, conducted a campus cleanliness drive on Thursday, removing posters and banners in adherence to the code of conduct.
“Physical campaigning has ended, but our digital campaign is going strong,” said ABVP Delhi State Secretary Sarthak Sharma. He described the DUSU elections as a “festival for DU students” and called for 100% voter turnout. “We’re confident of a sweeping win for all four ABVP candidates,” he added. ABVP claimed their social media campaign was trending under the hashtag #ABVPforDUSU, with celebrities posting video endorsements and supporters sharing campaign slogans alongside ballot numbers of the candidates.
Other student outfits and independents also turned to social media to reach students.
The Disha Students Federation (DSF) posted satirical content mocking ABVP and NSUI’s campaign strategies. DSF’s presidential candidate went viral with an Instagram video from Miranda House, where students were seen chanting “Go Back ABVP” and questioning the organisation’s silence on issues like the Hathras and Kathua incidents. As polling day arrives, candidates across the spectrum are hoping for a higher voter turnout and stronger engagement, as DU gears up for one of its most closely watched student elections.