DUSU Elections 2026
The results of the Delhi University Students’ Union election have put the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India under scrutiny. NSUI failed to win any of the four central posts in the 2026 DUSU election. The ABVP won three posts, while former NSUI member Deepanshu Shokeen won the Vice-President’s position as an independent candidate.
Shokeen had sought an NSUI ticket but was later dropped from the organisation’s official panel. He subsequently contested independently and won the Vice-President’s post with 30,615 votes. NSUI’s official candidate Veer Chatrath received 4,313 votes.
According to report, NSUI had initially considered Deepanshu Shokeen for the President’s post. Sources cited in the report said Shokeen preferred to contest for Vice-President instead.
He eventually declined to contest the presidential election. The NSUI leadership then removed him from its official panel. The decision was reportedly viewed within the organisation as a matter of discipline.
Veer Chatrath was subsequently fielded for the Vice-President’s post. Chatrath is the son of Congress leader Manish Chatrath. The candidate selection became a subject of discussion within the organisation, according to the report.
A similar dispute emerged over the Joint Secretary’s post. Vishesh Yadav was initially considered for the position but was later replaced by Gopal Chaudhary. Yadav subsequently contested the election as an independent candidate.
The election results highlighted the split between official NSUI candidates and candidates who had previously sought the organisation’s support.
In the Vice-President’s contest, Deepanshu Shokeen secured 30,615 votes. ABVP candidate Ishu Maurya received 16,910 votes, while NSUI candidate Veer Chatrath received 4,313 votes.
The Joint Secretary contest was also closely fought. ABVP’s Lakshya Raj Singh won with 16,615 votes. Vishesh Yadav finished second with 15,778 votes, while NSUI candidate Gopal Chaudhary received 15,206 votes.
ABVP’s Yash Dabas won the President’s post with 24,576 votes. NSUI candidate Vijay Shankar Meena received 22,523 votes. ABVP’s Riya Chhawdi won the Secretary’s post with 21,650 votes.
The election result has triggered discussions within Congress over NSUI’s candidate selection and election management. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal called an emergency meeting following the results.
The report said NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar was asked to explain the organisation’s performance. Kumar has been in charge of NSUI since July 2023. He was previously president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union.
Deepanshu Shokeen also questioned Kumar’s role after winning the election. Speaking to IANS, Shokeen said those responsible for the organisation should have assessed the ground situation and candidate preparedness before finalising the tickets. He attributed the outcome partly to internal politics and the way tickets were distributed.
However, people close to Kanhaiya Kumar have offered a different account of the ticket dispute. According to their version, Shokeen had been offered the presidential nomination but preferred to contest for Vice-President.
The DUSU result has therefore opened a wider discussion within NSUI over candidate selection, ticket distribution and election management. The contrasting accounts from Shokeen’s side and Kumar’s associates remain part of the ongoing debate over what led to NSUI’s performance.
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