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A popular UPSC coaching teacher and motivational speaker Avadh Ojha joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Monday, barely a couple of months before the Delhi Assembly elections. Ojha has a huge following on various social media platforms.
Known for his “unique” teaching style specialising in decoding complex academic concepts, Ojha’s entry into the AAP fold is being touted as a “significant” development by the incumbent party ahead of the polls.
AAP sources said Ojha’s induction was not just a “symbolic event” but a calculated move by the party, which is looking to field him in the elections due in February 2025.
Ojha is no stranger to the limelight, especially among UPSC aspirants. He has a teaching career spanning nearly two decades and has made a name for himself by breaking down subjects like History, Geography, and Current Affairs into digestible lessons — often drawing from real-life examples and spiritual stories – which has helped him garner a significant popularity.
Ojha’s influence extends beyond physical classrooms. His YouTube channel, Ray Avadh Ojha, has over 9 lakh subscribers, hosting 800 educational and motivational videos, while his Instagram account has more than 2 million followers. He also runs online courses at relatively low fees through his mobile application.
Hailing from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, Ojha has several degrees including BA in History, MA in Hindi literature, LLB, MPhil, and PhD in Hindi literature. After failing to clear the civil services exams in 2005, he had shifted gears to become an educator.
At the AAP event for his induction, the party’s national convener and ex-chief minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomed Ojha by presenting him with its signature scarf and cap. Kejriwal lauded Ojha, saying, “Our aim has always been to bring talented individuals excelling in various fields aligned with our ideology—be it anti-corruption, education or healthcare—into politics. With Ojha’s entry, education, which has always been our cornerstone, will gain even more strength.”
On his part, Ojha reiterated his commitment to education, saying “Today, as I step into politics, I want to emphasise that if given a choice between politics and education, I would choose education. My aim is to leverage this role to spread education more widely.”
In a recent interview with The Lallantop, Ojha said he had been in talks with the BJP, Congress, and BSP regarding a political role. He also expressed his ambition to launch his own political party by 2028.
Ojha’s move to join the AAP follows the party’s recent bids to induct at least six former MLAs from its rival parties, including former BJP MLA Anil Jha and ex-Congress MLA Somesh Shaukeen. Projecting Jha as a Purvanchali leader and Shaukeen as a Dilli-Dehat face, the AAP has named both of them in its first list of 11 candidates for the Delhi polls.
Ojha is expected to “appeal” to Delhi’s youth and Purvanchali voters, AAP sources said. An AAP leader said, “He (Ojha) has joined the party with the intention to contest the Delhi elections. While his seat hasn’t been finalised, we’re looking for a constituency with a significant Purvanchali presence.”
