D Raja's daughter to contest elections for DUSU president

Aparajitha Raja, in her second year of college, looks like any other student of Delhi University who is contesting the September 3 students union polls. But, unlike most others, this young student has a political legacy behind her.

Aparajitha Raja, in her second year of college, looks like any other student of Delhi University who is contesting the September 3 students union polls. But, unlike most others, this young student has a political legacy behind her. She is the daughter of CPI leaders D Raja and Annie Raja. Young and raring to go, Aparajitha is vying with 10 other candidates for the post of Delhi University Students Union President.

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"I am not into students politics by default," she clarifies when asked if her political background had a role in shaping up her sensibilities. "To a certain extent yes, the kind of environment I grew up in was all politically charged up. But I developed interest in it over the years, and I am here because I wanted to be here," she said.

The Political Science student at Hindu college has been associated with the All India Students Federation (AISF) since the age of 13, but she became active in students politics only last year when she joined college. "When my mother tells me about the things she and her contemporaries did during the glorious students movement, I sometimes wish I would have worked with her during that period," she says.

The DUSU election is scheduled for September 3. A total of 11 candidates will compete for the post of President in the election which will see a total of 30 other candidates vie for the three posts of Vice President, Secretary and Joint Secretary.

Harish Choudhary, a first year student of SGBT Khalsa College is the NSUI candidate for the post of president while Jitender Choudhary, a student of MA (Buddhist Studies) is from the ABVP.