NEW DELHI: The RSS-backed National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF) retained the post of Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) president as its candidate AK Bhagi defeated the Democratic United Teachers’ Alliance candidate Aditya Narayan Misra.
All RSS-affiliated NDTF candidates won in the counting of votes on Thursday for DUTA elections held on Wednesday where nearly 85.5 per cent of the 9,601 eligible voters exercised their franchise. According to the results, AK Bhagi polled 4,182 votes while Misra got 3,787 votes. Bhagi had won the DUTA’s president post in 2021 as well.
Other winning candidates from the NDTF included Trimbak Chumbak (6,929 votes); Abha Dev (6,918), Amit Singh, (6,816), Rudrasish Chakraborty (5,688), Sudhanshu Kumar (5,264); A. N. Sachin (5,197); Devanandan (4,939); Bimalendra Tirthankar (4,769); Anand Prakash (4,517); Anil Kumar (4,296) and Sanjeev Kaushal (4,109 votes).
This time, around nine teachers’ organisations of different ideologies came together to form the ‘Democratic United Teachers’ Alliance’ (DUTA). It included the Democratic Teachers’ Front, AAP-backed Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers’ Association, Indian National Teachers Congress, Delhi Teachers’ Initiative, Samajwadi Shikshak Manch, Common Teachers’ Front, Independent Teachers’ Front for Social Justice and ‘Voice of DU Ad Hocs’.
“We are happy and excited to be the winners again. Our priority is to complete the regularisation scheme, which is in the halfway stage. We will also focus on completing the pending work that we started two years ago,” NDTF’s Bhagi told newsagency PTI.
“We will also focus on new policies such as the pension scheme and EWS seats,” he added. Nandita Narain, president of the Delhi Teachers Front (DTF) said, “Unfortunately, Dr Aditya Narayan Misra, joint candidate of the Democratic United Teachers’ Alliance, lost the presidential race. We salute him for a powerful and spirited campaign in very adverse circumstances.
Three candidates of the DTF, Abha Dev Habib, Rudrashish Chakravarty and Sanjeev Kaushal won in the Executive, but Manoj Kumar lost, she said. “Three candidates of Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers’ Association (AADTA) Anand Prakash, Bimlendu and Deo Nandan also won, and so did N Sachin,” Narain said. The fight against New Education Policy, privatisation and displacement, and for the Old Pension Scheme, will continue, she added. The NDTF won the DUTA polls in 2021 while DTF five times in a row before it.
DU VC felicitate newly elected DUSU
The newly elected president Tushar Dedha, secretary Aparajita, joint secretary Sachin Baisla and office bearers of Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) were felicitated by Prof Yogesh Singh, DU Vice-Chancellor on Thursday. Newly appointed vice-president Abhi Dahiya could not attend the meeting due to health reasons. The VC asked the new Union to work towards the betterment of students and the university. He also expressed his gratitude to the Delhi Police and Election Commission for the peaceful commencement of the elections. The elections for the DUSU were conducted on September 23 after a gap of three years. The RSS-backed ABVP won three post while Congress’ NSUI bagged vice-president post.