New Delhi:
“I didn’t hear the goonj (echo) but definitely heard the dhamaka (explosion),” said Union Health Minister JP Nadda, in an apparent dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, after the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won three of the four key positions in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.
Several BJP leaders used the outcome to attack Rahul Gandhi, dismissing his recent youth outreach called “Chhatron Ki Goonj”. Describing the outreach as the Congress’s “Jhooth Ki Goonj”, BJP leaders termed the DUSU poll verdict as an indicator of what students think of the Congress.
The results, announced Saturday evening, gave the RSS-affiliated student organisation the presidency, secretary and joint secretary posts. Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen won the vice-president’s post, leaving the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) without any of the four central panel positions. The NSUI had won the vice-president’s position in the previous year’s election.
“Heartfelt congratulations to all the dedicated workers of the council on the splendid victory of @ABVPVoice in the Delhi University Students’ Union elections. This victory reflects the unwavering trust of the youth in the council’s ideology of “Nation First” and its commitment to student welfare. I am fully confident that the council’s workers, drawing new energy from this victory and following the ideals of Swami Vivekananda Ji, will continue to relentlessly advance the cause of student interests and nation-building,” wrote Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Heartiest congratulations to @ABVPVoice and its dedicated Karyakartas on securing the posts of President, Secretary and Joint Secretary in the #DUSUElection2026. As a national cadre-based organisation, ABVP has consistently remained committed to student welfare, Seva and nation-building. The result reflects the support extended by Delhi University students to these efforts,” said Education Minister Pralhad Joshi in a statement.
“Voice of the Youth is Laud & Clear!!! Hearty congratulations to all Winning Candidates of #ABVP in Delhi University Students Union Election and its cadres as well as all the well wishers!” wrote Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on X.
“Congratulations to Yash Dabas on winning the President post, Riya Chhabra on the Secretary post, and Lakshya Raj Singh on the Joint Secretary post,” he added in a separate post.
“Heartiest congratulations to all young comrades on the splendid victory of #ABVP in the Delhi University Students’ Union elections. The wins of Yash Dabas for the President’s post, Riya Chhabra for the Secretary’s post, and Lakshya Raj Singh for the Joint Secretary’s post represent a triumph of youth faith in the values of ‘Knowledge, Character, and Unity’ as well as ‘Nation First’,” wrote Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
ABVP’s Yash Dabas emerged victorious after defeating Congress-backed NSUI candidate Vijay Shankar Meena for the president post. The final figures showed Dabas receiving 24,576 votes, while Meena polled 22,523. Dabas’s margin of victory was 2,053 votes.
The vice-president’s election produced the most notable result outside ABVP’s three victories. Deepanshu Shokeen, a former NSUI member who was not given the organisation’s ticket, contested as an independent and won the post.
ABVP’s Riya Chhawdi won the secretary’s position with 21,650 votes. The NSUI candidate received 14,869 votes in the contest. For the joint secretary’s post, ABVP’s Lakshya Raj Singh received 16,615 votes. The Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha candidate, Vishesh Yadav, polled 15,778 votes, while NSUI’s Gopal Chaudhary received 15,206 votes and finished third.
