AISA, SFI, INSO see a silver lining as Delhi High Court refuses to stay the order debarring five NSUI and ABVP candidates
AISA, SFI, INSO see a silver lining as Delhi High Court refuses to stay the order debarring five NSUI and ABVP candidates
For years they have been trying their luck to make a mark in the Delhi University politics. Gods have finally answered their prayers this year, it seems.
Student bodies, most of them with Left leanings, like the All India Student's Association (AISA), Student's Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students Union (DSU), Indian National Student Organisation (INSO) and Disha will get a better shot at the student's body seats as the main contenders National Student's Union of India (NSUI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) are left with virtually no candidates.
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Both the NSUI and the ABVP had approached the Delhi High Court against the University decision but the court on Tuesday refused to stay the order. NSUI national secretary Anand Pandey said, "The decision is definitely a setback. Just after the court verdict, we had a meeting and decided to fight the polls only for the post of secretary."
"We have been preparing for the election for last one month but now when only one candidate is left in the fray, we plan to play safely. Only one day for campaigning is left now and we simply plan to visit different colleges with hand made posters," said ABVP Delhi state secretary, Ashutosh Srivastava.
The candidates were debarred from contesting the student's union election for exceeding the prescribed limit of expenditure and use of vehicles in campaigning.
The Election Officer disqualified Deepak Negi (NSUI) and Rohit Chahal (ABVP) from contesting the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls for the post of President. The candidature of Umesh Tomar (NSUI) for the post of Vice President, Lalit Kumar and Ashok Kahre, both of ABVP, for Secretary and joint secretary were rejected by the election officer on August 28.
The total number of disqualified candidates including three of ABVP and NSUI each now stands at seven.
"We are trying to make the most of this opportunity. Today is the last day for the campaign and hope to come up with flying colours when the results are announced," said Mohd Akhtar Ali of INSO.
INSO is in the fray for all the four posts, including joint secretary for which their candidate is Asha Kiran who moved to INSO after being denied a ticket from NSUI. Apart from INSO, AISA also has four candidates in fray, followed by three each of SFI and Disha.
Disha a student organization, which was formed nine years ago has no political affiliations and is contesting for the first time. Disha's presidential candidate Shivarth said, "This may prove to be our best opportunity.
Left with a chance
In DUSU's history, Left-backed students' organisation swept the polls once in 1970s after the emergency. After that, independent candidates have managed to win a couple of times, the last being in 1991 when Rajiv Goswami won the polls during the Mandal-wave.
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