DUSU Election: Only Music, No Lyrics

DUSU elections are just around the corner. The contesting parties are campaigning heavily and the campus is abuzz with slogans and political energy. But this year, a drastic change in the method of campaigning by the parties can be observed. There are no more printed placards and posters pasted on the campus walls, there are no more candidates rallying around in expensive luxury cars and there are no more party cards being thrown around the campus. Evidently, after the last year’s strict measures and the consequent cancellation of candidature of many ‘promising’ candidates, parties are playing their cards with much more caution and responsibility. This is an extremely welcome change, as this year around, the campus is not strewn and littered with party notices and posters, even though the election day is only a few days away.

But something is missing as always: all the campaigning and slogans still sound hollow and unconvincing since the candidates are only interested in promoting their ballot numbers and not their ideology. The candidates perhaps consider party agendas insignificant and unimportant and therefore they are highly disinterested in outlining their motives, plans and goals. Till last year, for many students, the face of the candidates was ground enough for casting their votes. But this year, with handmade posters, even the faces are unknown to most students. In such a scenario, one is forced to wonder on what grounds are students expected to vote.

The disregard with which the candidates are treating their agendas, even in a year when it was extremely important to make promises and articulate plans, only goes on to display what they are really interested in: power and no function. Now, it only really remains to be seen how many students come out to vote on the d-day because, right now, even the though the campus is abuzz, the student population is not impressed, let alone influenced.