Karamcharis relent on poll-eve

``Three weeks of terror'' is how most Delhi University students like to describe it. But now that the Delhi University College Karamcharis' Union (DUCKU) has finally called off its strike and returned to work, everyone can heave a sigh of relief.

Coming as it did two days before the DUTA elections, it should bring a smile to University officials. With libraries closed, science labs left non-operational and University admissions coming to a halt, the employees had literally held the University to ransom.

But students being students, were more bothered about getting their bus passes, for the free bus ride, of course. But for those contesting the DUSU elections, the strike posed a problem of a different sort. With most students not being issued Identity Cards, the question of fair elections was being raised by many last week.

It was cooking time for hostellers, who had to literally fend for themselves. On strike since August 7, DUCKU members had been demanding a rise in pay scales and promotions. Having rejected the University Executive Council's appeal on August 24, DUCKU decided to call off the strike following a meeting with the Union Minister for Human Resource and Development, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi.

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Till last week, the Delhi University Teachers Association elections had appeared to be a rather low key affair, with not much to hear from any of the main parties. That of course, changed when some members of the Congress backed INTEC announced their opposition to the AAD Presidential candidate, Dr. V.K.Agrawal. This was followed by the announcement that they had also removed Prof. V.K.Bhasin from the post of Chairman.

The announcement of DPCC(I) President, Mr. Subhash Chopra, of support to the AAD candidate might have made the Congress position clear, but how much of an effect the infighting has had will be known only when the results come out on Thursday night.

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Rules are made to be broken. Or so believe those contesting the DUSU polls. The code of conduct framed long back for students to follow during the campaigning period has hardly been followed over the years. So much so, in the end, it is simply a matter of who broke how many rules.

Election rules may say that plastering posters across the campus is not allowed, but who cares. And even if they do, it does not quite help. Well, ask the ABVP with is facing the ``once bitten, twice shy'' scenario.

Last year saw the party trying to pat itself on the back for not issuing a single poster during the first few days of campaigning. But then, that was about ABVP trying to show that it follows rules.

That was only till the party realised that not only was the NSUI not going to follow suit, but going to walk away with the publicity and the votes. Releasing posters a couple of days before the elections did not help ABVP in any way last year, so this time, it has got down to work from the word go.

``There has to be a level playing field. We are ready to abide by them, but if we are going to be the only ones to do that, we might as well not follow them,'' is how a ABVP spokesperson defends the party's poster campaign.

The NSUI is open to accepting that it has never followed rules. ``They always talked of following rules. Whatever happened to all that. It is simply pressure tactics,'' a NSUI member says. Posters are just the beginning, the coming days will obviously see more rules being broken. But is the election officer really listening?

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And you thought it is only those without any inclination to studies who contest the DUSU polls. Well, believe it or not, having a seat in a college makes all the difference in this particular election. So much so, that students don't really mind taking a reverse.

Subjects here don't matter. Just get a seat in some college so that you are a part of the University. This year's candidates are no different. If ABVP Presidential candidate Pragati Bhadhwar has gone a for another undergraduate course despite being an M.A in Buddhist Studies, all three NSUI candidates -- Tarun Kumar, Vikas Shokeen and Rohit Chaudhary -- are again doing B.A. Well, this is one time when election, perhaps, inspires education in the country.

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This one has nothing to do with Govinda or David Dhawan, but it still comes down to Ballot No.1. This is the ballot number that candidates want and will go to any lengths to ensure that their name figures somewhere up in the ballot papers.

The most used tactic is to make some basic changes to the name. The ABVP candidate Pragati Badhwar may use the same name when it comes to posters and campaigning, but her name has an added A to it on the rolls. For the simple reason that ballot number 1 is easy for voters to remember.

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There is a lot at stake when it comes to names. And for reasons other than just the ballot number. Caste politics may not be that important in DUSU polls, but it has its own small role. The Jat and Bihar segments have their own role. No wonder, NSUI thought it apt for its candidate for the Secretary post Rohit Solanki to change his name to Rohit Chaudhary.

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This is one college that is breaking all records when it comes to DUSU elections. In a contest of sheer numbers, Swami Shraddhanand College wins hands down. Nearly 77 of the students contesting for DUSU elections this year are from this college.

And for the simple reason that getting an admission here is comparatively easier. The number is a record of sorts in the history of DUSU elections for the highest number of students to contest from a single college.

By Lakshmi Balakrishnan

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