DUSU polls: ABVP wins 3 posts, independent Deepanshu Shokeen creates history

The RSS-affiliated ABVP won three of the four central panel posts in the high-profile Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) election, while independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen, who was denied an NSUI ticket, won the vice-president's post.

The Congress-backed NSUI failed to secure any of the four central panel posts, with the ABVP winning the president, secretary, and joint secretary positions.

Clear defeat for NSUI

In the presidential race, ABVP's Yash Dabas polled 24,576 votes, defeating NSUI's Vijai Shankar Meena by a margin of 2,053 votes.

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For the joint secretary’s post, ABVP’s candidate secured 16,615 votes against 15,778 votes polled by the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha candidate. In the secretary’s race, the ABVP candidate polled 21,650 votes, while the NSUI candidate secured 14,869 votes.

Last year, the ABVP had won the posts of president, secretary, and joint secretary, while the NSUI had secured the vice-president’s post.

Bus conductor’s son creates history

Shokeen won the vice-president's post with 30,615 votes, emerging victorious with a massive margin of over 13,000 votes. NSUI candidate Vir Chatrath finished a distant third behind the runner-up Ishu Maurya of ABVP.

Shokeen, who is pursuing an MA in the Department of Buddhist Studies, became the first independent candidate in the history of the students’ union to secure the vice-president’s position.

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Shokeen, who hails from Peeragarhi, comes from a modest background. His father is a bus conductor, while his mother works as an Anganwadi worker. A graduate of Bhagat Singh College, he had expressed an interest in student politics despite his father’s preference that he prepare for the UPSC examinations.

PG issue central for winners

He had also emerged as a vocal student activist following the collapse of PG accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan. At the time, Deepanshu vowed not to wear slippers until justice was delivered. He has vowed to seek justice for those who died in the Satya Niketan building collapse.

Shokeen said the campaign trail had shaped his priorities. “My priority will be to fight for students’ rights and demand justice for those who lost their lives in the Satya Niketan incident. The hardships I faced while campaigning on foot reminded me of the difficulties faced by nearly 1.5 lakh students of Delhi University, and I will work to address their concerns and fight for their rights,” he said.

Dabas, too, said his first task would be a safety audit of all college hostels and PGs. “This victory belongs to social harmony, patriotism and unity,” said Dabas.

(With agency inputs)