Archive · 21 Sep 2026
NSUI Rebels’ DUSU Gains Intensify Scrutiny of Kanhaiya Kumar
The NSUI is the student organization linked to the Congress party.
In the latest Delhi University student elections, it did not win any of the four main positions.
Deepanshu Shokeen, who had wanted an NSUI ticket, ran independently and won the vice-president’s job.
Another former NSUI hopeful, Vishesh Yadav, came close to winning joint secretary.
These results have made people question how NSUI chooses its candidates.
Critics say Kanhaiya Kumar’s leadership ignored local leaders and created strong rebel candidates.
Kumar’s supporters disagree and say Shokeen was offered the presidential ticket but wanted to contest for vice-president.
NSUI has also had victories under Kumar, including the 2024 DUSU presidency and wins at Panjab and Patna universities.
NSUI won none of the four central posts in the Delhi University Students’ Union elections, its first such blank since 2015, according to party insiders.
Independent Deepanshu Shokeen, a former NSUI ticket aspirant, won vice-president with 30,615 votes, ahead of ABVP’s Ishu Maurya with 16,910.
NSUI presidential candidate Veer Chatrath finished third with 4,313 votes, while another former aspirant, Vishesh Yadav, finished second for joint secretary with 15,778 votes.
Critics and party insiders blamed centralized ticket distribution under Kanhaiya Kumar, while his associates said Shokeen had been offered the presidential nomination but preferred vice-president.
The setbacks follow earlier rebellions at Panjab University and DUSU, although NSUI also won several student elections during Kumar’s tenure.
- Who
- The National Students’ Union of India, Kanhaiya Kumar, its rebel aspirants Deepanshu Shokeen and Vishesh Yadav, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and Congress leaders and insiders.
- What
- NSUI lost all four central DUSU posts while former ticket aspirants won or strongly challenged its official candidates.
- When
- The DUSU results were reported on September 19; Kanhaiya Kumar has been NSUI in-charge since July 2023.
- Where
- Delhi University, with the reports also discussing student elections at Panjab University and other campuses.
- Why
- The results renewed debate over NSUI’s ticket distribution, candidate selection, local leadership, and Kumar’s role.
Critics and NSUI insiders
Kanhaiya Kumar’s supporters
Ticket distribution
Critics and NSUI insiders
Critics say Kumar centralized ticket decisions, sidelined local leadership, and selected candidates who were later outperformed by NSUI rebels.
Kanhaiya Kumar’s supporters
Sources close to Kumar reject the claim that an ego clash caused Shokeen to lose the ticket and say NSUI offered him the presidential nomination.
Deepanshu Shokeen’s candidacy
Critics and NSUI insiders
Party insiders allege Shokeen was denied the ticket to accommodate Veer Chatrath, the son of Congress leader Manish Chatrath.
Kanhaiya Kumar’s supporters
Kumar’s associates claim Shokeen preferred the vice-presidential contest and was reluctant to face ABVP’s Yash Dabas in the presidential race.
Responsibility for the setback
Critics and NSUI insiders
Critics point to repeated rebellions, Kumar’s reported absence from much of the campaign, and the failure to win any central post as evidence of leadership problems.
Kanhaiya Kumar’s supporters
NSUI’s record under Kumar also includes the 2023 Panjab University presidency, the 2024 DUSU presidency, and victories at Patna University and BGR Campus.
- DUSU central posts
- NSUI won none of the four central posts in the latest Delhi University Students’ Union elections.
- Vice-president result
- Independent Deepanshu Shokeen won with 30,615 votes; ABVP’s Ishu Maurya received 16,910.
- Presidential result
- NSUI’s Veer Chatrath finished third with 4,313 votes.
- Joint-secretary result
- ABVP’s Lakshay Raj Singh won with 16,615 votes; Vishesh Yadav received 15,778 and NSUI’s Gopal Chaudhary received 15,206.
- Kumar’s tenure
- Kanhaiya Kumar was appointed All India Congress Committee in-charge of NSUI in July 2023.
- Earlier rebellion
- At Panjab University in 2024, NSUI rebel Anurag Dalal won independently with 3,433 votes, while official NSUI candidate Rahul Nain received 501.
- NSUI victories
- NSUI won the 2024 DUSU presidency and later recorded victories at Panjab University, Patna University, and BGR Campus.
