The Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections for 2025 are drawing attention as the results are announced. The competition is fierce between NSUI and ABVP. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), supported by the Congress, seeks to maintain its position, while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is looking to regain its influence.
The full form of ABVP is Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. It is a student organization in India, established in 1949.
Leading the race for the DUSU president position is Aryan Maan, an ABVP candidate. Hailing from a business family, Maan is a 23-year-old from Bahadurgarh, Haryana. He gained admission to Delhi University through the sports quota by representing football at the national level. He completed his B.Com from Hansraj College in 2025. His father is the Executive Director of ADS Group, and the family owns the Royal Green liquor brand.
This article investigates ABVP’s journey in campus politics and how it has kept its presence in DUSU over the years.
The ABVP was founded in 1949, initiated by RSS activist Balraj Madhok. It was established following India’s Independence. ABVP aimed to make the country modern and developed. The organization’s goal was to rebuild India into a powerful, prosperous, and proud nation. With this aim, ABVP started organizing diverse activities nationwide, focusing on various social scales.
In 1971, ABVP stated that students are not the citizens of tomorrow, but of today, implying students are responsible citizens. By 1974, ABVP had 160,000 members across 790 campuses. By 1983, its membership had grown to 250,000 with 1,100 branches. The organization expanded further in the 1990s. The DUSU, established in 1949, is the world’s largest student body. The first DUSU elections were held in 1954. Several ministers like Arun Jaitley, Vijay Goel, and others have their political career shaped by DUSU.
The DUSU has four office bearers: President, Vice President, Secretary and Joint–Secretary. Elections to the union are held by direct voting. As of 2019, there are total of 52 Delhi University colleges and faculties affiliated to DUSU.
ABVP has generally maintained a stronghold over DUSU since 1954. During the 1970s–80s, it was the main student organization. NSUI emerged and won the DUSU elections for the first time in 1985. ABVP returned to power in 1996, with Rekha Gupta as president. NSUI then dominated until 2008, when ABVP returned. While an independent candidate won in 2009, ABVP returned to power in 2010. NSUI held power from 2011-2013. ABVP claimed the DUSU president post for five years until 2017. NSUI won in 2017, followed by ABVP winning in 2018 and continuing until 2024. Currently, Ronak Khatri of NSUI is DUSU President. ABVP has 17 wins so far, while NSUI has 12 victories.