New Delhi: Deepanshu Shokeen, a 21-year-old independent candidate who campaigned barefoot to highlight student housing issues, has won the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) vice-presidential election by a margin of 13,705 votes.
Shokeen secured 30,615 votes, defeating ABVP’s Ishu Maurya, who received 16,910 votes. NSUI’s Vir Chatrath finished third with 4,313 votes. His victory prevented the ABVP from securing all four central panel posts.
A resident of Peeragarhi in West Delhi, Shokeen has been active in student politics since 2023. He completed his BA Programme from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Buddhist Studies at Delhi University’s Faculty of Arts.
Shokeen decided to contest independently after he was not selected for the NSUI ticket. He had earlier campaigned for the organisation during the 2023 and 2024 DUSU elections.
During his campaign, Shokeen pledged not to wear shoes to draw attention to student accommodation problems, particularly after a PG hostel building collapsed in Satya Niketan on September 6, killing seven people, including five DU students.
Apart from housing, his campaign focused on campus infrastructure, fee hikes, transparency and implementation of the National Education Policy.
After his victory, Shokeen said student politics should focus on student rights and giving students a voice.
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