The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, or ABVP, has swept the Delhi University Students’ Union elections, winning the president’s post and two other key offices. The results were declared after the counting of votes for the 2026 DUSU polls.

The Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India, or NSUI, drew a blank in this year’s contest. The other headline of the day was the vice-president’s post, which went to independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen, a former NSUI member, who polled 30,615 votes.

What the results show

The outcome marks a strong showing for the ABVP, which is backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Winning three of the four top posts, including the presidency, gives the student outfit a clear mandate in the university’s highest elected student body.

For the NSUI, the blank scorecard is a setback. The student wing of the Congress has traditionally been one of the two big forces in DUSU politics, and failing to win even a single office will trigger questions within the organisation about its campus strategy.

The independent factor

Deepanshu Shokeen’s victory as an independent is the most talked-about result of this election. A former NSUI member, Shokeen’s win with 30,615 votes shows that candidates with strong personal appeal on campus can break through the dominance of the big student organisations.

Independent victories in DUSU are rare, and Shokeen’s vote tally suggests that a significant section of the student electorate voted for the candidate rather than the banner.

Why DUSU matters

DUSU elections are among the most closely watched student polls in the country. Delhi University’s sheer size and its location in the national capital mean the results are often read as a barometer of youth politics.

The union represents lakhs of students across the university’s colleges and has frequently been a launchpad for careers in mainstream politics. This year’s verdict gives the ABVP control of the union’s top office for the coming term.