DUSU polls: Rahul Gandhi's Berkeley speech won hearts of students, says Congress

The Congress today hailed the victory of its student wing NSUI in the DUSU polls, saying it is a reflection of the changing atmosphere in the country as the youth have taught the saffron brigade a lesson after being "misled".

A festive atmosphere prevailed at the party headquarters which was abuzz with activity after NSUI members swarmed the office and burst crackers and danced outside Congress president Sonia Gandhi's residence. The NSUI leaders also met Gandhi, who congratulated them on the victory. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is on a tour to the US, said on Twitter, "Congratulations NSUI on a stellar performance and presidential win in DUSU! Thank students of DU for reposing faith in Congress ideology".

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari accused the RSS- affiliated ABVP of indulging in malpractices in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) election and said the party's student body has all its options open if the DU authorities "do not mend their ways". The National Students Union of India (NSUI), which won the posts of president and vice president of DUSU, has also accused varsity authorities of malpractices due to which the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won two of the posts.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's speech at the University of California, Berkeley, won the hearts of the student community, leading to the victory of NSUI candidates in Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said today.  "The victory of NSUI candidates shows that the student community has whole-heartedly accepted the speech given by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi at the university in Berkeley in the US on September 12," Maken said.

At the University of California, Berkeley, Gandhi, 47, spoke about his reflections on contemporary India and the path forward for the world's largest democracy. It also showed that the students have "rejected" the speech given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Swami Vivekananda on September 11, he claimed. "The youth, who helped Modi record a thumping victory in the Lok Sabha elections, have become disillusioned with him," Maken said in a press conference held after the victory of NSUI candidates.

Maken also alleged that an effort was made by the BJP and its government at the Centre to "influence" the DUSU polls. "For the first time in the history, the DUSU elections were held on a week day, 12th September, instead of on weekend, like Friday or Saturday, in a bid to make the students listen to Modi's speech on September 11, and influence the student community," he charged. Maken also said that legal recourse may be taken in NSUI candidate Avinash Yadav's defeat on the joint secretary post.

Delhi University authorities had earlier rejected the nomination papers of the NSUI presidential candidate Rocky Tusheed who contested after the intervention of the Delhi High Court and won today with a big margin. "This is not the only instance (where NSUI won in student elections). The atmosphere in the country is changing. Those who misled the youth, The youth are today teaching them a lesson. The NSUI won the Panjab University election and prior to that in Rajasthan University the NSUI sounded the victory bugle. It is a reflection of the changed atmosphere in the country," Tewari said.

In the past there has never been an incident where nominations have been cancelled in students' polls and one has to move the court to get them restored. This is the manifestation of subversion of varsities by the BJP-led NDA government, he claimed.

AAP wins President's post in two colleges: 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today said that its student wing -- the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) -- has won 25 student union posts in several Delhi University colleges, including bagging the president's post in two institutes. The CYSS fielded its candidates in 28 colleges and won 25 seats. It did not participate in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls for the second consecutive year.

Trisha Beniwal of Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences and Akhilesh Yadav of Kirori Mal College won the president's post in their respective college. Its candidates bagged the vice-president's post in four colleges, the party said. The CYSS bagged the post of secretaries and joint secretaries in nine and four institutes, respectively.