The game is on

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Student politics is always seen as a launching pad to make it big in the national politics. It has launched many a politician at the state and national level, which includes Ajay Maken, Vijay Goel and Arun Jaitly. The annual Delhi University Students'' Union (DUSU) elections too have been a colourful affair with the student body of two major national parties the National Students'' Union of India of the Congress and the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad of the Bhartiya Janata Party slugging it out year-after-year to capture posts in the DUSU.Excerpts of an interview:<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Is the National Students'' Union of India (NSUI) expecting to repeat last year''s performance of winning all the four seats in DUSU polls?</span><br /><br />During the past one year, the performance of all the four candidates of NSUI in DUSU has been more than satisfying. The candidates of the NSUI cannot be accused of doing vanishing act from the campus after the elections were over. They were present in the campus throughout the year to deal with any issue related to students. Moreover, we have received a positive feedback from the students too who are happy with the performance of NSUI candidates. We are expecting to repeat last year''s performance and that too with a record margin.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Will it be possible for the student body to implement the model code of conduct particularly the one related to poll expenses?</span><br /><br />We were the first ones to approach the vice chancellor as far as poll reforms were concerned, and we have agreed to the suggestions that there won''t be any posters, stickers, hoardings and wall writings during the campaigning period. We will engage in door-to-door campaigning with hand posters and pamplets. However, the code of conduct related to the poll expenses of Rs 10,000 per candidate is next to impossible to meet. We have to cover 52 colleges and reach atleast 1,25,000 students over a period of two weeks. And, considering all these in mind, the present expense limit is ridiculous. We would try but I doubt whether the present expense limit won''t be breached considering expenses occurred on hiring vehicles, fuel and food.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">The NSUI has taken a lead in screening candidates before they are given tickets to contest these polls. Is it a step towards cleansing politics of dubious elements?</span><br /><br />The NSUI has always believed in clean politics. We followed the same procedure last of awarding tickets to only those who have had a clean image with strong academic credentials. This year too we had asked for application forms from all those who wish to contest the elections. A seven-member screening committee has interviewed 38 aspirants, and the names would be announced today. The main points of consideration will be academic credentials, capacity to lead, moral and social characters and social acceptance.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">This year Students'' Federation of India alongwith Chhatra Lok Janshakti have roped in United Students'' Front and Chhatra Rashtriya Janata Dal to take the might of NSUI and ABVP. Is it a serious challenge?</span><br /><br />These parties are marginal force in DUSU elections. These parties believe in contesting polls on the basis of caste creed and religion, which has never been our domain. Let students decide whether we are true representative of them or not. These four parties have always had ideological differences, and joining hands before elections doesn''t make any sense.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Given few reasons why students should vote for NSUI candidates.</span><br /><br />The NSUI was the only student body which fought against the commercialisation of education not only in the national capital but across the country through seminars, workshops and programmes. We resisted the implementation of `Model Act'' in universities across the country which would have enabled universities to be run on private lines. This would have made higher education costlier, perhaps outside the reach of common man.<br /><br />We took up the matter related to University Grant Commission''s directive to extended colleges that it would refuse to provide funds if the strength of the students exceeds 1,000 in these colleges. This would have affected more than 50,000 students. We took up the matter with the Delhi government, which was finally sorted out benefiting thousands of students.<br /><br />The DUSU under the leadership of its president Rohit Choudhury recently organised career fair for the benefit of students. Even, the students'' insurance policy, which was implemented in partnership with the Delhi government, was our initiative.</div> </div>