AAP leaders campaign in colleges, poll official say rules violated

AAP leaders on Tuesday continued to visit university and college campuses to campaign for party student wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) ahead of DUSU polls. Poll officials said it was a clear violation of Lyngdoh Committee rules but action could be taken if written complaints came from the colleges.

Aam Aadmi Party leaders Alka Lamba, and Dilip Pandey campaigned in Delhi University's south campus along with CYSS candidate for Delhi University Students Uunion (DUSU) joint secretary post Hitanshi Chauhan.

Similarly AAP MP Punjab Bhagwant Mann and APP leader Raghav Chadda visited north campus's Khalsa College and Miranda House respectively and appealed the students to vote for CYSS candidates

Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Sandeep Kumar had also gone to Swami Shradhanand College on Monday for campaigning.

As per rules, neither the university nor the Lyngdoh Committee permits any endorsement of candidates by political parties for DUSU poll.

Also when the model code of conduct is in force, no political leaders are allowed to visit the campus for any reason.

DUSU poll's Chief Election Officer D.S. Rawat said: "The involvement of political leaders in student union elections is not allowed for any reason by the Lyngdoh Committee. This is a gross violation of committee's recommendations."

"The principals of the colleges should report the matter to the election office and we will issue show-cause notices to them (CYSS candidates). But unless we get a written complaint from the college or the other concerned authorities we can't take action," he said.

"After a written complaint I can only issue notices to the candidates only when they are seen campaigning with the political leaders in the campus," he added.

CYSS leaders, however, denied that the AAP leaders violated the rule.

"There is no violation of code in visiting the campuses. Violation of the code occurs only when they enter the classes," a CYSS leader told IANS.