DUSU Election Study (2023-2026): ABVP Retains Central Grip Amid Shifting Voter Trends

By Political Bureau

New Delhi Chronicle

NEW DELHI — Despite fluctuating voter turnouts and a growing surge in support for independent candidates, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has maintained a strong organizational grip on the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) central panel over the last four election cycles, a new comprehensive study has revealed.

The study, titled “Delhi University Student Union Election Comparative Study 2023 to 2026” and conducted by the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, offers an in-depth look into candidate performances, voter dynamics, campus alliances, and electoral trends across campus polls from 2023 to 2026.

The findings present a nuanced picture of Delhi University politics: while ABVP continues to dominate the top leadership positions, the ground beneath remains electorally fluid.

ABVP Retains Dominance, NSUI Struggles for Stability

Across the 16 central panel seats contested between 2023 and 2026, the RSS and BJP-backed ABVP secured 11 seats, demonstrating consistent top-tier organizational strength. The Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) managed to win four seats, while an Independent candidate claimed one seat in the 2026 Vice President contest.

Party/Alliance, Seats Won

ABVP, 11

NSUI, 4

Independent, 1

Left Alliance (AISA-SFI), 0

The data shows ABVP favoring the seat tallies in three out of the four election cycles. The only balanced outcome occurred in 2024, when the central panel split evenly—2-2—between the ABVP and NSUI.

In the most recent 2026 DUSU elections, ABVP registered a dominant performance by sweeping three of the four central panel positions. Yash Dabas won the President’s post, Riya Chhawadi secured the Secretary seat, and Lakshya Raj Singh won the Joint Secretary position. The Vice President seat was captured by Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen.

Shift in Aggregate Vote Shares and the Rise of Independents

To map voter behavior accurately without double-counting unique voters across multi-post ballots, the study calculated an aggregate vote share metric—adding an organization’s total candidate votes across all four central panel contests and dividing it by the overall recorded ballot volume.

Under this measure, both major student outfits saw notable fluctuations:

 ABVP: Polled 43.19% in 2023, dipped to 36.86% in 2024, recovered to 39.66% in 2025, and fell to 32.78% in 2026.

 NSUI: Started at 31.99% in 2023, peaked at 35.79% in 2024, before declining to 31.51% in 2025 and dropping to 23.39% in 2026.

Researchers attributed the sharp vote share decline for both traditional powerhouses in 2026 to a strong performance by independent candidates and smaller student groups. Notably, Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen polled an impressive 30,615 votes to claim the Vice Presidency, while Vishesh Yadav secured 15,778 votes for Joint Secretary.

Voter Turnout Trends and Evolving Campus Dynamics

Voter participation across the four-year period displayed significant volatility:

 2023: 42.00%

 2024: 29.70% (a reported decade low)

 2025: 39.45%

 2026: 40.46%

The study also highlighted the shifting dynamics within the broader student opposition. The Left alliance—comprising the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI)—fielded separate slates in 2023 before forming a joint panel. Their combined aggregate vote share moved from 12.99% in 2023 to 9.75% in 2024, 11.48% in 2025, and 9.18% in 2026.

Despite visible involvement in campus agitations, the Left alliance failed to convert street mobilization into electoral success, with two of its candidates receiving fewer votes than NOTA (None of the Above) in the 2026 elections.

The 2026 polls also signaled a widening of the traditional triangular contest. The Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP)—a new outfit linked to the Aam Aadmi Party—entered the DUSU fray for the first time. Additionally, an independent candidate backed by the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha emerged as the runner-up for the Joint Secretary post, indicating that Delhi University politics is gradually accommodating newer political voices beyond the established blocs.