AAP is the talk
of the town! In fact many towns, many villages, though the latter needs to be
ascertained. Television debates on every other subject related to
governance, draws comparisons or corollaries with AAP and its moves. Newspaper headlines are
captured by AAP, so much so as to prompt other party ideologues to refute it as
‘paid media’. Twitter hashtags and facebook updates have AAP written all over
them since a long time now. The reality of a newly formed political outfit,
translating rhetoric to required seats in assembly, believing and walking the
talk of a radical change in style of politics; shifting the onus of power to
the ‘common-man’, ‘mango-man’, ‘aam-aadmi’, listening to their pulse and acting
accordingly, has begun to settle.
Perturbed
nay-sayers, confused mouthpieces, doubting Thomases and suddenly-woken-up-from-a-slumber electorate are a common feature harboring on becoming a phenomenon these days. As a natural response,
discrediting the newly formed Delhi government's socialist leaning schemes,
tirade on the lines of damn-if-you-do, damn-if-you-don’t are afloat in plenty.
Cautionary words are being written by ‘political watchers’. However all this while, AAP
membership is exponentially rising, their political ambitions, and
their ‘populist’ or ‘promised-in-manifesto’ schemes too, depending on which
side of the fence you are.
Does AAP
comprise of a set of novices, with left of the centre ideology, delivering through
theatrics, who will ultimately trip over their own high wall of expectation? Or
are these the new age netas who will
take the subway to work, like few of their ilk in Germany or France, will
make massive reforms to fight corruption and in the long run, and change the
way politics works in India? Only time will stand testament to the above
possibilities. But what is for certain is the fresh breeze of clean air that
AAP has circulated in a space that is murky, congested with corruption, bred in
family lineage, marketed with obnoxious muscle and money power. And this fresh
air of change has ruffled feathers.
What did the
fresh air bring along with it? Salient features which the common man makes a
sense of, identifies with and desires for.
The credibility
of its leader Arvind Kejriwal. The non-political lineage of its members. The
humble backgrounds they belong to. No display of money or muscle in campaigns.
The acceptance of non-VIP culture. The stance against corruption. The
reclamation of faith that politics is to serve and there is a way to enter that
arena. Door-to-door campaigns and finding top pressing local issues. The dire
failure of mainstream political parties to find common ground with the
distressed public. A cocktail of these above factors, punched with multiple
other smaller components, has brought about an unprecedented positive response.
The Congress and
BJP by discrediting AAP’s every move are only drawing the ire of common man,
who seeks a positive change, but has been bogged down by lack of options. While
a scale up at the national level may not happen for the forthcoming general
elections, not because of anything else, but for logistical and organizational
reasons; AAPs victorious endeavors in few pockets might create a stir in the
political scene. Established systemic rot that parties have pulled since years
will also take time to shake off.
These few words expressed
here are just adding to the millions being written since few weeks on AAP. It
is just an attempt to drive a few points across, from a common man, observer of
political actions, in a developing with great potential India.
The greatest
achievement of AAP is perhaps not making a government in Delhi, but breaking
the barrier of entry into clean politics. The greatest challenge of AAP will not
be killing corruption in one fell swoop but perhaps be fighting corruption at
the level of that corrupt contractor or babu or various mafias. Its national
ambitions might take time to realize, its realization in greater scheme of
things might be another part of the story, but the fresh breeze it has brought
along with it will find greater meaning if it can convert the established perverted
systems to sync with that of the masses. That will be the real achievement of
AAP.
I agree. Furthermore in view of the recent developments, it is imperative for AAP now to stop focusing on theatrics and leveraging through emotional tactics. Dharnas and strikes were imp to claim power before elections, now when they're already in power in the state, fighting with the centre and creating an Arab Spring type scenario at Raisina is sheer theatrics.
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