Cong plays down DU election outcome, says no Modi effect

Rejecting the claim of the Narendra Modi impact on DUSU elections that saw BJP’s student wing ABVP romping home, the Congress on Saturday said its frontal outfit NSUI has been victorious in student bodies’ elections in Gujarat and Punjab.

“If they are saying Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (AVBP) victory in Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) this year is a sign of Modi impact and this indicates BJP will also win the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, then BJP should be ready to pack up from Gujarat and Punjab where Congress’ student wing National Students Union of India (NSUI) won university and college elections recently,” said party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed.

Ahmed, who is All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Delhi, said NSUI won students’ union elections at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara after a gap of 10 years despite Modi’s posters used in the campaign there.

“We also won in Gujarat University and Punjab University elections. While Modi is the Chief Minister in Gujarat, it’s an Akali Dal-BJP government in Punjab. If losing Delhi University Students’ Union means Congress will lose elections in Delhi, then BJP must be on the losing trend in Gujarat and Punjab,” he said.

Ahmed said that in DUSU, Congress won three posts and BJP one, which has reversed this year and may reverse again next year in favour of Congress.

Aman Awana of ABVP, who was elected DUSU president, attributed the victory primarily to Modi being popular among students and their being angry with NSUI.

Karishma Thakur of NSUI, who was elected as secretary, the lone winner from the Congress student wing, said there was “no impact of Modi” on DUSU elections, and that Congress will win the Delhi Assembly polls impressively as there is “no such thing as Modi
factor”.