DUSU Elections 2025: Student bodies unveil panels; NSUI, left alliance field women for president

NEW DELHI: Marking a renewed push for female leadership on the Delhi University campus, the NSUI and SFI-AISA alliance fielded women for the president's post on Thursday as major student organisations announced their candidates for the 2025-26 DUSU polls.

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) nominated 23-year-old Joslyn Nandita Choudhary as its presidential candidate, the first woman to be fielded for the top post in 17 years. She is pursuing MA in Buddhist Studies and has been active in campaigns around women's rights, campus safety and representation since 2019.

On Wednesday, the Delhi high court again asked Delhi University to ensure that the elections are conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner, without misuse of vehicles or violation of rules. The court directed the university to file an affidavit by September 15, detailing the steps being taken to enforce election norms.

The Congress-backed NSUI has named Rahul Jhansla (24) for the post of vice president, Kabir (24) for secretary and Lav Kush Badhana (19) a BA (Hons) student from Zakir Husain College for joint secretary. Jhansla, a postgraduate student, has been active in campus politics raising issues regarding hostel hygiene and sports infrastructure. Kabir, a Law Centre II student has focused on campaigns about student development and sports.

The NSUI said its election campaign would highlight concerns regarding issues such as campus infrastructure, menstrual leave, social justice and opposition to alleged political interference in faculty appointments. Aiming to retain dominance in Delhi University politics , RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has fielded Aryan Mann, a MA Library Science student and Hansraj College graduate from Haryana, for president presidential candidate.

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ABVP campaigns against fee hikes, development

He has been part of the ABVP's campaigns against fee hikes and for infrastructure improvement. The ABVP has nominated Govind Tanwar, a first-year MA student in Buddhist Studies from Dayal Singh College, for vice president. It has named former PGDAV College students' union president and currently a postgraduate student in Buddhist Studies, Kunal Chaudhary, for secretary while Deepika Jha, a Buddhist Studies student from Lakshmibai College, has been nominated for joint secretary.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students’ Association (AISA) fielded Anjali from Indraprastha College for Women as presidential candidate, Sohan Kumar as vice president, Abhinandana Pratyashi as secretary, and Abhishek Kumar as joint secretary. The coalition said its campaign would focus on women's safety, hostel facilities, metro concessions and representation of marginalised groups, while presenting itself as an "alternative voice" against "money and muscle power" in campus politics.

The DUSU polls for the 2025-26 academic session will be held on September 18, with counting scheduled for the following day. In the 2024 DUSU polls, NSUI made a comeback after a seven-year hiatus, winning two key positions -- president and joint secretary. The ABVP secured the vice president post and retained the secretary position, maintaining its presence in the union.

This year's polls are being held under strict measures against defacement of public property, in line with Lyngdoh Committee guidelines. Last year, counting was withheld by the Delhi High Court until such defacement was cleared.