New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has failed to impress the students of Delhi University as the student wing of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), performed poorly in Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won all four seats in these elections. Interestingly, National Students Union of India (NSUI) came second while Kejriwal's AAP finished third on all seats except for Vice-President.
In fact, ABVP had won these seats last time as well but this year's victory is more important for the BJP student wing because they have retained these seats despite the high decibel entry of Kejriwal backed CYSS.
Since young voters of Delhi had thrown their weight behind AAP in Delhi Assembly elections , it was expected that CYSS will present a tough challenge to both ABVP and NSUI. Many observers even predicted a clean sweep for CYSS in these elections on the lines of AAP victory in Assembly elections but the results have proved them all wrong.
Read Also: DUSU election: ABVP trounces NSUI, CYSS to win all 4 seats
It was first electoral test for Delhi Chief Minister after his historic win in state Assembly elections. The crushing defeat of CYSS does not augur well for AAP, as it could be an indication of growing disenchantment of youth with Kejriwal.
The defeat will hurt Kejriwal more because he and his party had left no stone unturned in convincing the student to opt for CYSS in these elections. AAP government was also accused of spending lavishly in favour of CYSS.
To impress the students of Delhi University, CYSS had organized a grand rock concert at Talkatora Stadium which was attended by Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and other ministers of AAP government. AAP sympathizer and renowned Bollywood composer Vishal Dadlani had also attended the concert.
Addressing DU student on this occasion, Kejriwal had exhorted them to follow clean politics, the way Delhiites did in Assembly election. But the students seems to have clearly rejected his appeal.
Read Also: DUSU elections 2015: Riding on Kejriwal's charisma, AAP student wing confident of trouncing ABVP, NSUI
It should be recalled that Kejriwal's decision to expel Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan was not appreciated by a section of AAP especially the youth who were not in favour of such an extreme step. The expulsion of Yadav and Prashant Bhushan was seen as the manifestation of dictatorial attitude of Arvind Kejriwal.
The party, later on, also expelled two MPs from Punjab who were considered sympathetic to Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. After the appointment of Swati Maliwal as Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) , Kejriwal has also been charged with encouraging nepotism in both the party and government.
Controversies involving leaders like Somnath Bharti and Commander Surendra also damaged the image of the party.
It seems all these developments have not gone down well with the youth studying in Delhi University and they have decided to stick to ABVP and NSUI.
There is no denying the fact that the issues in student union elections are entirely different from that of Assembly elections but they definitely give an indication of which way the wind is blowing.
And from that perspective, DUSU results should be a wakeup call for Arvind Kejriwal.
