NEW DELHI: The upcoming Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections will be a three-way contest this year, with Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), the student wing of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making its debut.
The campaigning for the September 11 elections is on in full swing. In such a short span of time, the CYSS has been able to attract the attention of the 50-odd colleges affiliated to the Delhi University. Nonetheless, it faces a tough road ahead. Many youngsters are wary of the outfit adopting political strategies akin to those of the BJP-backed ABVP (Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and the Congress’ student wing-- the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI)-- in spite of the AAP’s claims that it is a party with a difference.
The CYSS has put up posters and hoardings proclaiming, ‘For a corruption free India-join the CYSS’. In a style reminiscent of the Delhi Assembly polls, the party has also taken over three bus shelters, plastering them with posters of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP stalwart Arvind Kejriwal urging the students to join the party. The outfit claims to have the support of around 28,000 members.
If the AAP were betting on ‘brand Kejriwal’, then the ABVP too has a new trick up its sleeve. It recently managed to rope in Nirbhaya’s parents --Badri Singh and Asha Devi--to talk on the case not making any progress in the Supreme Court and the rising number of crimes against women. And it even took out a silent march to woo the female voters.
With barely days left for the polls, the main parties, whose student outfits are in the fray, have begun their pre-election campaign with their state and college teams talking to students, giving demonstrations and distributing manifestoes.
Not to be left behind, the Congress backed NSUI will soon hit the streets. The party has finalised seven candidates, including two girls in four posts and has started their orientation. The outfit had suffered a bitter defeat last year losing all its seats.
Criticising the politics of the CYSS, NSUI Delhi secretary Abhinav Tiwari told Express that the AAP-backed outfit is actually misleading the students.