An inside job!

With limited budgets, students get more involved with elections; outsourcing of work kept to a minimum

An inside job!

With limited budgets, students get more involved with elections; outsourcing of work kept to a minimum

Things have changed with the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) polls. Earlier, aspirants used to get people from outside to help them with publicity including preparing posters. But this time students are campaigning for their leaders. Though outsiders are still seen helping, the numbers are quite low. It is also reported that as compared to last year, the amount spent on the election process has gone down by 25 per cent.u00a0

Battle lines drawn: A worker preparing posters at the office of NSUI at
Raisina Road in New Delhi on Tuesday. Pic/Subhash Barolia

"Students are actively participating in the election process this time. They have behaved themselves quite well. We don't feel the need for outside involvement. The huge amount of money being spent has been curtailed and manpower has increased. Candidates are using word-of-mouth campaigning. So the party that reaches out to more students will win this time," said Tarun Kumar, ex-general secretary and a councillor at MCD.

"Earlier, a lot of outsiders would get involved in the elections. This time, due to strict guidelines set by the Lyngdoh committee, no cameras are being allowed on the premises and only students of the university can be part of the elections," a DU official said.

"We are actively participating in the electoral campaigns this year. In the past, a lot of outsiders would come for campaigning and students did not have much of a role to play, which is not the case this year. This is largely due to the stringent laws passed by the committee," said Ashish Jain, a student of Hansraj College.