Mumbai, November 12: Amid intensified political manoeuvring ahead of key state and civic elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday urged India’s youth to treat politics as a mission driven by purpose, not power.
Speaking at the FICCI Young Leaders’ Summit in Mumbai, Chadha reflected on his political journey and spoke about the importance of perseverance, humility, and moral clarity in public life.
The young parliamentarian’s remarks come as opposition parties under the INDIA bloc prepare for a crucial electoral season, with Chadha playing an active role in alliance coordination efforts and calling for a renewed political ethos rooted in accountability and service.
‘Politics Is a Calling, Not a Career’
Chadha said India needed a generation of leaders who saw politics as a calling rather than a profession. “We must cleanse the system and reclaim politics as a platform for change,” he said.
“Politics is less about power and popularity and more about perseverance and purpose. If those two are in place, power will follow naturally.” He added that governments, with their vast resources, could change lives when guided by the right intent.
“If you fix the education system, you shape generations. If you improve healthcare, you transform families. The machinery is there, it just needs to be channelled with purpose.”‘
'Politics Is the Strongest Form of Public Service’
Chadha recalled his early activism during the anti-corruption movement and the debate within his team on whether to remain an activist group or enter mainstream politics. “NGOs do great work but politics gives you the power to create impact at scale,” he said.
“One policy decision can benefit millions, and that is the true power of politics.”
His remarks struck a chord as the INDIA bloc, of which AAP is a key member, seeks to position itself as a people-centric alternative to the ruling BJP.
Party insiders say Chadha has emerged as one of the articulate young faces shaping AAP’s national voice.
‘Failure Is a Teacher, Not the End’
Opening up about his 2019 Lok Sabha loss, Chadha said defeat was a “deeply human” experience. “I gave everything I had emotionally, physically, financially, still lost. It broke me,” he admitted. “But I realised that setbacks are not full stops, they are commas in your story.”
He credited his family and friends, including leaders from other parties, for helping him rebuild confidence. “Jyotiraditya Scindia called me and said it’s not the end of the world. Those gestures meant a lot,” he said.
Ten months later, Chadha won the Delhi Assembly election from Rajinder Nagar by a large margin and later became one of the youngest members of the Rajya Sabha.
‘Keep Working, Win or Lose’
Chadha said both victory and loss should be met with humility. “If you succeed, keep your head down and work. If you fail, keep your head down and work. That’s the only mantra that matters,” he said, drawing applause from the young audience.
As the INDIA bloc builds its campaign narrative around transparency and citizen-first governance, Chadha’s emphasis on purpose and perseverance echoed the coalition’s broader call for “clean politics.”
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