Many former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) presidents who are contesting the upcoming Assembly elections feel they are on familiar ground as the varsity elections were conducted on the same scale as the State polls before the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.
“Everywhere I go, people recognise me as the former DUSU president. People have come up to me and said they voted for me in college and they will vote for me again here,” said Amrita Dhawan, during her padyatra in the Tilak Nagar constituency.
Ms. Dhawan was the DUSU president in 2006-2007 and represented the Congress’ varsity arm, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
She said though campaigning for the Assembly elections was vastly different from the DUSU campaign, there were certain similarities. “We do a lot of door-to-door campaigning, making personal contact. It almost feels like when we went from college to college, talking to the students,” she said.
Ms. Dhawan added that her campaigning strategies include using social media and street plays. “Being a DUSU president does not ensure long-term political success, but it is better than being a completely unfamiliar face,” she said.
Meanwhile, another former DUSU president Ragini Nayak was busy with her padyatra in the Janakpuri constituency. Both women were DUSU presidents and represented the NSUI.
In the Kirari constituency too, there is a former DUSU president, Amit Malik, who is contesting.
