Gorilla and panda costumes join DUSU’s poster-free campaign trail

A life-sized gorilla with a candidate’s name on its chest has joined the DUSU campaign trail at Delhi University, alongside giant panda costumes and the students wearing them.

Campaigners say the costumes are a response to this year’s restrictions: printed posters and canopies are barred, and each candidate has a ₹5,000 campaign spending limit. University rules also restrict car rallies. Candidates can still use videos and handmade material.

Kishank Batra, a second-year student campaigning for Ojasvi Sehrawat, said a gorilla moving through campus was harder to ignore than cards and social-media posts. Kushagra, a final-year Kirori Mal College student, said the idea drew on giant-costume performers seen at Delhi weddings earlier this year.

Manoj Ram, a Dwarka-based performer hired for campaigning, said students rush over for selfies. DUSU voting is scheduled for September 18, with counting the following day.