DUSU polls: Campaigners pour in from other states

They have been roaming the Delhi University campus for two weeks, trying to blend with fellow students. These clusters of students look the part but small things give them away — their heavily-accented Hindi or refusal to haggle with rickshaws outside Vishwavidyalya metro station.

They are not from Delhi University, but supporters who have travelled to the national capital, some for the first time, from other states such as Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, to throw their might behind candidates contesting in the university polls.

Driven simply by allegiance, they’ve camped in the North campus to canvass for their favourite candidate. Arch rivals National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) both roped in around 200 supporters each from outside Delhi to reach out to DU students during the fortnight-long campaigning which ended on Monday night.

“We have been on campus since the first week of September,” says Akanksha Bhardwaj, an ABVP supporter from Meerut, adding, “We visited all the colleges and also the paying guest accommodations of students.” Anshu Sharma, who is accompanying her, said, “Over 200 students have been living in DU for the past two weeks. Sangathan is everything to us.” The parties facilitate their lodging, and ensure they do not face difficulties. 

STUDENT MIGHT

• About 400 students poured in from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana 
   
• They arrived on Delhi Uuniversity’s campus in the first week of September 
   
• They have been canvassing on campus and visiting students’ PG accommodation