NSUI insiders highlight party divisions over DU politics

After his victory in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, vice-president-elect Rahul Jhansla Yadav visited former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The meeting was highlighted by Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, who posted photographs on the social media platform X showing Yadav with the senior leader.

During the campaign, Deepender Hooda had actively supported Yadav, while another senior Congress leader, former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, campaigned for NSUI’s presidential candidate, Joslyn Nandita Choudhary.

Interestingly, campaign vehicles used by Choudhary mostly bore Rajasthan number plates, while those used by Yadav were largely registered in Haryana and Delhi — possibly hinting at the influence of regional political camps behind the two candidates.

Party insiders suggest this was not mere coincidence but a reflection of factional divisions within NSUI. Many workers believe this internal rift contributed to the organisation’s poor show in the elections.

“ABVP workers were united, while we have factionalism within the organisation, which reflected in DUSU results,” an NSUI office-bearer told The Tribune.

This trend of infighting is not new. In last year’s Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) elections, NSUI’s Anurag Dalal was denied a ticket at the last moment and forced to contest as an independent candidate.

Dalal went on to win the election, while NSUI’s official candidate finished seventh.

Though expelled after his victory, Dalal — considered close to Deepender Hooda — was reinstated into the NSUI last month. According to leaders, Dalal as sidelined by the faction supporting NSUI’s national president Varun Chaudhary.

A similar scenario played out at Delhi University, where Umanshi Lamba, an aspiring candidate, was denied a ticket.

Instead, newcomer Joslyn Choudhary, reportedly backed by Pilot, was fielded as the presidential candidate.

Lamba went on to contest as Independent candidate but was not able to put a mark on the electoral mandate.

The NSUI managed to secure only one post in this year’s DUSU elections, a result that many within the organisation see as a wake-up call.

With growing dissatisfaction over the current leadership, party insiders say the hunt for a new president has already begun.