Free Wi-Fi, sanitary pad vending machines, rollback of the National Education Policy (NEP), and a menstrual leave policy—these are among the promises featured in the electoral manifestos of the top contenders in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.With polling just days away, the three main players for DUSU polls—Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Congress’s National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), and the Left alliance of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Association (AISA)—unveiled their manifestos .While NSUI released their manifestos on Friday,SFI-AISA and ABVP released it on Saturday.The heart of these manifestos centres on student issues: affordable education, safer campuses, access to hostels, among othersABVP, which has long commanded DU’s electoral space, rolled out a manifesto leaning on welfare promises: subsidized metro passes, free Wi-Fi, subsidized health insurance, accessibility audits, and expanded hostel facilities.“The ABVP manifesto highlights the real issues faced by students of Delhi University. It reflects our belief that students are not merely citizens of tomorrow but also active citizens of today,” said ABVP National General Secretary Virendra Singh Solanki.“By prioritizing subsidized metro passes, provisions for specially-abled students, and women-centric measures, this manifesto demonstrates that ABVP-led DUSU is committed to working 365 days a year,” he added.On the party’s objectives for the academic year, ABVP’s presidential candidate Aryan Maan said, “This year, we are determined to ensure adequate sports facilities and nutrition, campus accessibility audits for specially abled students, and free Wi-Fi access across DU. With these initiatives, we aim to establish Delhi University as a premier global institution.”Deepika Jha, ABVP’s Joint secretary candidate stressed on women’s empowerment and safety. “Our priorities include establishing women’s hostels in every college, installing pink booths, providing sanitary pad vending machines, appointing permanent gynaecologists, and introducing scholarships for transgender students,” noted Jha.Story continues below this adFor the Congress-backed NSUI, the manifesto launch echoed Leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s rhetoric of opening a “Mohabbat Ki Dukan.”“We are confident of winning 4-0,” said NSUI National President Varun Choudhary. “We are following the path of Bahujan-Nayak Shri Rahul Gandhi and are determined to safeguard the Constitution of India. Once again, we will open the ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ in Delhi University, where diversity, love, and dignity for all will remain our top priority.”NSUI’s manifesto includes promises such as the scrapping of Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA)-linked fee hikes, granting up to 12 days of menstrual leave per semester, rolling back NEP (National Education Policy) 2020, and upgrading hostels as well as classrooms. Its “Her Manifesto” focuses on women’s empowerment, pledging zero tolerance for harassment, legal aid cells, increased female security personnel, sanitary napkin vending machines, and medical-counseling centers in every college.In its manifesto, the SFI and AISA alliance presented itself as the conscience of student politics. The party’s candidates Anjali, Sohan, Abhinandana, and Abhishek argued that their manifesto, centered on affordable education and hostels for all-is more student-centric than their rivals’.Story continues below this adThe alliance promised to resist fee hikes, push for elected Internal Complaints Committees and establish gender sensitisation cells in all colleges. SFI-AISA alliance also vowed to implement a menstrual leave policy for women students and further demanded the inclusion of women’s colleges like Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College, and Daulat Ram College in the student union.Their consistent efforts-from the Concessional Metro Pass campaign to Common University Entrance Test (CUET) admission assistance-were highlighted as evidence of the Left alliance’s grassroots connection. In their joint appeal, the alliance’s student leaders trained their guns at the NSUI and ABVP.“The still rampant use of money-muscle power by organisations like the NSUI and ABVP makes it urgent for students to vote for those who have been sincere to the cause of student welfare,” they stated.While the three major parties are ready to battle it out for the DUSU polls, the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAPs) relaunched student wing- the All Students Action Party, (ASAP)-which was set to debut in the student election, has decided to not contest this year.Story continues below this ad“We won’t be contesting this year,” said ASAP member Ishwar Chand. “We are focusing on building the party together, bringing up units in every college, and making our presence stronger by voicing student concerns. We will fight next year if our base is stronger.”ASAP was launched earlier this year as a revamped version of the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS).Chand pointed to their ongoing protests, including calls to boycott the India-Pakistan cricket match after the Pahalgam killings, as reflection of the party’s grassroots level presence. “We are active on the ground and want to keep this momentum going,” he said.DUSU elections will be held on September 18, with results to be declared the following day.