ABVP swept university polls on strong organisation, divided Oppn, say analysts

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has pulled off decisive victories in student elections at the Delhi University (DU) and the University of Hyderabad (UoH), underlining its organisational muscle, sharper campaigning and the inability of Opposition groups to unite.

At DU, the ABVP bagged three of the four central panel posts, with only the vice-president’s position going to the Congress-backed NSUI. The win was powered by a decentralised campaign that combined everyday student issues — like water coolers, the U-Special bus service, subsidised Metro passes and Wi-Fi — with broader nationalist messaging.

“This year, the ABVP worked with a decentralised model, taking up both college-level concerns and campus-wide outreach through internships and direct engagement. Our approach went far beyond social media,” Shivangi Kharwal, ABVP’s National Secretary, said.

But rivals argue the result is less about the ABVP gaining ground and more about others losing it. “ABVP’s strength lies in division. Wherever opposition forces contested together, ABVP lost. Unfortunately, in DU, despite repeated appeals, NSUI, ISA, and SFI failed to form a united front, which split the anti-ABVP vote,” N Sai Balaji, former JNUSU president, said.

NSUI’s factionalism and outdated campaigning style further weakened its pitch. Even its post-poll allegations of EVM irregularities failed to distract from its weaker organisation compared to ABVP’s year-round presence. DUSU vice-president Rahul Jhansla Yadav alleged an “admin-ABVP nexus” and instances of “vote chori”, but analysts point to NSUI’s lack of sustained ground connect as a bigger factor.

The University of Hyderabad result was even more dramatic. For the first time in seven years, the ABVP swept all six panel posts on a campus traditionally dominated by the Left and Ambedkarite outfits. A fractured alliance between the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), worsened by disagreements over partnerships with Muslim student groups, gave ABVP a clear path. Local mobilisation also mattered. “ABVP’s movement against the government’s attempt to occupy campus land resonated strongly and helped us consolidate support,” Kharwal said.