The Aam Aadmi Party’s student wing, the Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), has announced its formal entry into the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, with the stated objective of “freeing campus politics from the influence of money and muscle power.” The organisation began accepting applications from Delhi University students on August 15 and has set August 25 as the deadline for submissions.
According to AAP leaders, ASAP’s initiative is rooted in the belief that ordinary students should have the opportunity to contest elections based on merit, capability, and a commitment to public service, rather than on financial resources or political muscle. AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj emphasised that many young men and women associated with the student organisation have come together with the collective goal of reforming student politics. “If you want to contest college elections but don’t have money, come from an ordinary family, and are capable, we will select you based on your ability and field you,” Bharadwaj stated. He further underscored that the party wants candidates to contest fairly and transparently.
The candidate selection process for ASAP has been designed with specific steps to ensure accountability and commitment. Interested students must first fill out a registration form by August 25. They are also required to submit a one-minute video or audio message explaining their motivation for contesting and outlining the issues they intend to address if elected. In addition, candidates must provide a written agenda between 200 and 500 words. For those seeking to contest college union elections, at least 10 supporters from five different sections are required, while aspirants for DUSU positions must secure the backing of 50 students from five different colleges. Eligibility criteria also mandate full attendance, no academic backlogs, and a clean disciplinary record.
Bharadwaj noted that students often enter politics with a sense of idealism, and ASAP aims to nurture and preserve that enthusiasm. “Students have a lot of idealism, and we will try to ensure that this idealism doesn’t fade after watching a movie in PVR,” he remarked. AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha echoed the sentiment, describing ASAP’s debut as a significant step towards cleaning up national politics by starting at the student level. “If we want to clean the country’s politics, it must begin with student politics — and ASAP is doing exactly that,” he said.
Delhi University elections, particularly for the prestigious DUSU, have long served as a political launchpad for future leaders in national politics. Student wings of major parties — such as the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Congress’s National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) — have actively contested these polls for decades. However, DU’s student politics has often faced criticism for extravagant spending, reliance on muscle power, and a lack of transparency. ASAP, launched in May this year, seeks to counter these trends and restore credibility to the electoral process on campus.
While AAP already has a youth wing, the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), which has contested elections in Delhi University and elsewhere, the party clarified that ASAP will function as a dedicated, parallel organisation. Unlike CYSS, which engages in broader youth mobilisation, ASAP will focus exclusively on building a student movement based on the principles of alternative politics, accountability, and merit-based leadership within campuses.
