NSUI may use social media to garner votes in DUSU polls

New Delhi: As election fever grips Delhi University, students' political wings are planning to shift focus from money and muscle power. The National Students' Union India (NSUI) is all set to put more efforts towards a social media policy in upcoming Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections.

Fairoz Khan, NSUI's national president said, "There will be a change in the character of DUSU elections this year." "Earlier there was a trend to be extravagant to woo freshers but this year, nobody will get free movie tickets or amusement park trips for their votes," Khan added. While talking about the overgenerous nature of DUSU elections, Khan said, "University elections should not indulge in such appeasement tactics. However, the concept of nationalism on which the ABVP has been thriving is not right either."

Last year, both the leading students' political wings had turned DUSU elections into a battleground as senior leaders of both Congress and BJP had led campaigning on the campus. "Leaders are overlooking the campaigning strategy of the university elections, and if needed they will come to the forefront," Khan said.

For the last four years, ABVP has been ruling over the DUSU. Last year, the ABVP won the posts of president, vice-president and secretary of DUSU. However, NSUI managed to make a comeback in the students' body by winning only one post of joint secretary after a dry spell of three years.

"While campaigning over digital social platform, we do not need to outsource our social media campaigning activities to an agency because we have our own robust cell that is working proactively."

Nearly, 400 co-coordinators have been appointed and deputed in every college of DU. The team has started WhatsApp and Facebook groups to reach out to students.

Khan, who was appointed general secretary of NSUI in 2012, hails from Pogal Paristan, Jammu and Kashmir, and will be fighting his first election after becoming the national president of NSUI. Among NSUI's major campaign promises is to bring transparency in use of DUSU budget.

Charging ABVP of misuse of funds, Khan said, "We wish to give power to the students in choosing where they want the money to be spent. We intend to put bills online to ensure transparency."