Jat-Gujjar card plays in Delhi University polls

Delhi University is all set to witness a “Jat-Gujjar” factor in the student union polls this year.

Majority of the candidates from both the rival student organisations, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), who are in the race of winning election tickets this time, are either Jat or Gujjar.

According to a DU source, “A caste factor can clearly be seen in the leading names from both the organisations in the race for tickets. While this time, in order to win votes from Dalit students, NSUI is pushing a Dalit girl to stand for elections, ABVP has a Gujjar girl candidate in the forefront.”

Being a central university, students of every race and class, from across the country take admission in DU. But when it comes to student union election tickets, the varsity always witnesses a Jat-Gujjar equation. ABVP has been dominated by mostly Gujjar community but this year there is also a Jat candidate.

The names of leading candidates from NSUI are Arjun Chaprana (Gujjar), Mohit Gerud (Jat), Nikhil Yadav (Yadav), Sunny Chillar (Jat) and Vinita Dhaka (Dalit). “Three candidates Nikhil, Arjun and Vinita are all set to get tickets, but it is yet to be decided if another ticket will be given to Mohit or Sunny. The real battle is between these two names. If 4 out of these 5 receive tickets, there will be two Jats, one Gujjar and one Dalit who would receive tickets,” the source said.

The leading names from the ABVP list are Priyanka Chhawarii (Gujjar), Ankit Sangwan (Jat), Amit Tanwar (Gujjar), Vishal Yadav (Yadav), Mahamedha Nagar (Gujjar), Pragya Malik (Jat), Pankaj Mishra and Prashant Sharma (Brahmin). The names which are in the forefront in the race of winning election tickets are Priyanka, Ankit, Amit and Vishal. “While Mahamedha is seeking the president’s post, Priyanka is believed to get a confirmed ticket as her father is associated with BJP,” the source added.