NEW DELHI: In a bold political pivot, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday relaunched the party’s student wing with a new name and mission—Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP)—promising to turn student activism into a force for national transformation.
Declaring that “mainstream politics of the past 75 years is the root cause of all problems in India, ” Arvind Kejriwal pitched ASAP as the vanguard of a new political culture—one free from education mafias and grounded in equity and reform.
“This isn’t just a student organization; it’s a launchpad for a generation that will redefine politics and work for the country, ” said the AAP Chief at the Constitution Club. The event was attended by senior AAP leaders, including Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia, Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj, national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda, MP Gurmeet Singh, Punjab MLA Anmol Gagan Mann, senior leader Awadh Ojha, and MLA Janarail Singh—affirming the party’s commitment to nurturing a youth-led political alternative.
Launching the logo of AAP’s student wing at the Constitution Club, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal addressed students from across the country in a powerful call to transform India’s political landscape. He presented a sharp critique of the status quo, contrasting it with AAP’s model of alternative politics.
The AAP Supremo pointed out that even 75 years after independence, India doesn’t have enough hospitals, medicines, roads. There is widespread unemployment. No one is happy—businesses are struggling, women are distressed, students are dissatisfied. Industries are collapsing. The root of all these problems is the politics of today—the politics we call ‘mainstream politics.
Arvind Kejriwal explained that for 75 years, the country has been governed by the same political paradigm followed by Congress, BJP, and others. “That same old model is what we call mainstream politics—and it is the root of all of India’s problems. Every issue in our lives is touched by politics. Whether electricity reaches your home, whether it’s affordable or not, whether government jobs are available or not—everything is political. That’s why the youth must join politics, engage with it, and take responsibility for it.”
Manish Sisodia sharply criticised the state of education in post-Independence India, stating, “Arvind Kejriwal often says that not a single state government since Independence has devoted an entire term solely to the cause of education. Globally, nursery and kindergarten children are being mapped using AI for individualized learning and development, while in India, 75 years after freedom, we’re still teaching typing and cut-copy-paste to Class 11 and 12 students on computers.”
AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj affirmed the party’s strong backing for the initiative: “We will support students to the greatest extent possible. We envision a forum where youth can channel their energy, driven by patriotism and a desire to serve the country and society. The student organisation will lead from the front, and AAP will support it from behind. The leadership will rest in students’ hands, and they will run the organisation their own way.”
Anurag Dhanda, AAP’s National Media In-Charge, hailed the launch of ASAP as the beginning of a powerful movement. “I am confident that this organisation will work hard to achieve its goals. Under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, this platform will guide students and strengthen democracy. We will all work together to reach these shared objectives.”