Published Oct 01, 2026 | 11:04 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 01, 2026 | 11:04 AM
Dilshada Raihan has been elected president of the University of Hyderabad Students’ Union for 2026-27. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Dilshada, who contested on the AISA-ASA-DSU-SFI-TSF alliance ticket, defeated ABVP-Sevalal Vidyarthi Dal (SLVD) candidate Naresh Podishetty by 451 votes. She secured 2,178 votes, against Naresh’s 1,727 votes. K. Naveen Kumar, who contested on the PDSU-MSF-Fraternity-NSUI alliance ticket, polled 340 votes.
Dilshada Raihan has been elected president of the University of Hyderabad Students’ Union for 2026-27.
According to reports on the election results, she became the first Muslim woman to head the university’s students’ union.
Dilshada, who contested on the AISA-ASA-DSU-SFI-TSF alliance ticket, defeated ABVP-Sevalal Vidyarthi Dal (SLVD) candidate Naresh Podishetty by 451 votes. She secured 2,178 votes, against Naresh’s 1,727 votes. K. Naveen Kumar, who contested on the PDSU-MSF-Fraternity-NSUI alliance ticket, polled 340 votes.
The result marks a change from the previous election, when the ABVP-SLVD alliance won all six major posts. This year, the AISA-ASA-DSU-SFI-TSF alliance secured five of the six major posts, with ABVP-SLVD winning the sports secretary position.
The contest had initially remained close as counting progressed. After 40 rounds, Dilshada was leading with 1,674 votes, while Naresh had 1,298 and K. Naveen Kumar 340. The final count increased Dilshada’s tally to 2,178.
The alliance also won the vice-president post, with Korra Nithin Chauhan of the Tribal Students’ Forum (TSF) defeating ABVP-SLVD’s Barsharani Behera. Nithin secured 1,608 votes, while Behera polled 1,321, according to the final results.
The general secretary post went to Pratik of the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA). Sidhant of AISA won the joint secretary post.
The cultural secretary contest was the closest of the six major races. Abhinash Kumar of ASA won by five votes over ABVP-SLVD’s Madhur. The result was initially held up after the ABVP sought a recount, but the alliance subsequently claimed the post.
The sports secretary post was the only major post won by ABVP-SLVD, with Banoth Sai defeating the alliance candidate.
Beyond the six major posts, the AISA-ASA-DSU-SFI-TSF alliance also won 32 of the 59 school councillor and school board member positions across 13 schools, according to the SFI Telangana state committee.
The election saw around 5,900 students eligible to vote, with about 80 percent turning out. A total of 220 candidates contested nine central posts and 59 school board councillor positions across 13 schools.
The SFI Telangana state committee said the results reflected students’ concerns over campus democracy, student issues and infrastructure. It alleged that the previous ABVP-led union had failed to adequately address these issues and said the new alliance would work on student welfare, campus democracy and infrastructure.
Dilshada had highlighted issues including the mess-fee hike, menstrual leave, attendance relaxation for chronically ill students, a disabled-friendly campus and implementation of the university’s transgender policy during the presidential campaign.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sumit Jha)
