Archive · 19 Sep 2026
ABVP Wins Three DUSU Posts as NSUI Loses Ground
Delhi University students voted for their student-union leaders.
ABVP won three of the four main positions.
Yash Dabas became president, while Riya Chhawadi became secretary and Lakshya Raj Singh became joint secretary.
Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen won the vice-president election by a large margin.
Shokeen had previously been linked to NSUI, but the two sides gave different explanations about whether he was denied a ticket.
NSUI did not win any central-panel position.
The election happened after protests about education, exams and other problems affecting young people.
ABVP and BJP leaders said the result showed support for their style of student politics.
Shokeen and Dabas also connected their campaigns to the Satya Niketan building-collapse tragedy.
ABVP won the president, secretary and joint secretary posts in the Delhi University Students’ Union elections.
Yash Dabas defeated NSUI’s Vijai Shankar Meena for president by 2,053 votes, while Riya Chhawadi and Lakshya Raj Singh also won.
Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen won vice-president with 30,615 votes, defeating ABVP’s Ishu Maurya and NSUI’s Virr Chatrath.
NSUI won no central-panel post, while AISA-SFI candidates received fewer votes than NOTA in at least two contests.
The election followed Gen Z-led protests and campaigns focused on youth concerns, education, examination issues and the Satya Niketan building collapse.
- Who
- ABVP, NSUI, independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen, AISA-SFI and Delhi University students.
- What
- ABVP won three of the four DUSU central posts, while Shokeen won vice-president.
- When
- The results were announced on September 19, 2026.
- Where
- Delhi University in New Delhi.
- Why
- The contest took place amid recent student protests over education, examination irregularities and youth grievances, as well as concern over the Satya Niketan building collapse.
ABVP and BJP Interpretation
NSUI and Independent-Candidate Dispute
Meaning of the result
ABVP and BJP Interpretation
ABVP described the outcome as a “Gen Z verdict,” while BJP leaders called it evidence of young people’s continued support for Nation First and constructive student politics.
NSUI and Independent-Candidate Dispute
The independent victory of Deepanshu Shokeen showed that ABVP did not win every contest and that student voters could reject both major panels.
Shokeen’s NSUI ticket
ABVP and BJP Interpretation
Congress communication department member Amitabh Dubey said Shokeen was offered the NSUI presidential ticket but declined it before contesting independently for vice-president.
NSUI and Independent-Candidate Dispute
Reports said Shokeen had sought an NSUI ticket but was left out of the final panel, prompting criticism of the party’s candidate-selection process.
Protest wave and election result
ABVP and BJP Interpretation
ABVP’s three-post victory was presented as evidence that the Gen Z protest wave did not disrupt traditional university politics.
NSUI and Independent-Candidate Dispute
The election still reflected youth concerns through campaign messaging about education, examination issues and the Satya Niketan tragedy; Congress leader Ajay Dutt also alleged administrative interference in the presidential contest.
- ABVP result
- Won the president, secretary and joint secretary posts.
- President
- Yash Dabas received 24,576 votes and won by 2,053 votes.
- Secretary
- Riya Chhawadi won by 6,781 votes; the ABVP candidate received 21,650 votes.
- Joint secretary
- Lakshya Raj Singh won with 16,615 votes, a margin of 837 votes over the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha candidate.
- Vice-president
- Independent Deepanshu Shokeen won with 30,615 votes.
- Vice-president rivals
- ABVP’s Ishu Maurya received 16,910 votes and NSUI’s Virr Chatrath received 4,313.
- Election context
- ABVP and NSUI used reels, memes and AI-driven social-media content to appeal to Gen Z.
- Satya Niketan toll
- Reports described five DU students among those killed; one account said seven people died overall.
