DUSU Polls: ABVP's Aryan Maan claims Gen-Z support, vows rent control

In the ongoing DUSU elections, ABVP President Aryan Maan claims Gen-Z support, focusing on student hostels. NSUI's Vir Chatrath counters, highlighting college-specific issues. Both express confidence in a 4-0 victory amid pre-poll allegations of attacks.

ABVP Confident of Win, Focuses on Hostels

Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) President Aryan Maan on Friday claimed that Gen-Z supports the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and said the organisation would focus on student issues, including hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodation.

Speaking to ANI as polling for DUSU elections is underway, Maan said, "Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) will fight on issues of hostels and PGs. A 2300-bed women's hostel is opening in Delhi University. Delhi government has also spoken about a hostel for 10,000 students. Our demand is that there should be a rent control act in the university and new hostels should be opened."

He emphasised the importance of hostel facilities for students coming to Delhi from outside the national capital. "Hostels are very important for students who come from outside Delhi. Outsiders come here and trouble Delhi University students. The moment this incident happened, I spoke to the Delhi Police and the Administration. I am confident there will be no such incident again," he said.

Maan also expressed confidence in ABVP's performance in the DUSU elections and claimed that the organisation would win all four posts. "Vidyarthi Parishad will win 4-0. Gen-Z has a sense of nationalism and supports ABVP," he said.

NSUI Counters with College-Centric Approach

Voting for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections 2026 is underway on Friday, while counting of votes is scheduled to take place on September 19. The elections have seen candidates highlighting a range of student-centric issues, including hostel facilities, PG accommodation and metro concession passes.

National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Vice President candidate Vir Chatrath said the organisation was focusing on college-specific concerns along with broader student issues. "Our issues are very clear and highly student-oriented—student-centric. Our primary concerns revolve around hostels and metro concession passes. Alongside this, we are also trying to highlight college-specific issues more prominently this time," Chatrath told ANI.

He said different colleges face different challenges and called for a college-centric approach. "You have to realise that the situation at Satyawati College is completely different from that at the Kalkaji campus; each has its own distinct set of problems. So, we need to be college-centric rather than just discussing general issues, because every college faces unique challenges that must be addressed," he said.

Chatrath also claimed that Gen Z supports NSUI and said the student community would demonstrate its strength when the election results are announced. "Everyone knows that Gen Z is firmly with NSUI. You saw the proof of this two and a half months ago when students united and forced the country's Education Minister to resign; that should have made it clear just how powerful Gen Z is. Everyone was underestimating Gen Z's power, but they demonstrated it back then, and I promise you that when the results come out tomorrow, Gen Z will show its strength again, and NSUI will win this election 4-0," he said.

Pre-Poll Clashes and Allegations

Meanwhile, the ABVP and NSUI on Thursday traded allegations of attacks and intimidation involving their members and candidates ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

In a press statement, the ABVP alleged that NSUI workers entered the residence of its members at Hari Mandir in Delhi and attacked them while they were holding a meeting. It said women student members were also present at the residence at the time of the incident.

The ABVP alleged that several individuals fled the spot following the alleged attack, while one person was apprehended by its members and handed over to the police. It further claimed that the apprehended individual admitted to being part of NSUI’s social media cadre. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)