Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to forge an alliance with Congress has received mixed opinions from its supporters and well wishers. Though Aam Aadmi party claims to have majority opinion of the people in government formation, but widespread anger and anguish of the dejected supporters cannot be ignored.
By Sanjeeb Kumar Sahoo
As Arvind Kejriwal took oath on December 28, 2013 at 12 pm, in Ramlila Maidan, he also became the seventh Chief Minister of Delhi defeating erstwhile Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by heavy margins. While Kejriwal defeated Sheila Dikshit by huge margins of vote and evolved as giant killer, his Party completely routed the Congress, who could manage mere seven seats in the recently held Delhi assembly polls. Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party with 28 seats secured second largest shares of seats only after BJP. The election results took political arena by surprise. This was the beginning of a new dawn in Indian politics. The politics which was remote from money or muscle power, the politics which was not played on a development plank, but it was a politics of hope, dream and a better and safer India. AAP arrived as a wind of change and housed in the hearts of the millions of people, delivering a stupendous victory to the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party.
Ramlila ground is the ground where Kejriwal started his anti corruption crusade with demand of Jan Lokpal Bill under his mentor and leader Anna Hazare back in August 2011. He separated from Anna over difference of opinion on entering the political arena supposedly for cleansing the Indian politics.
Kejriwal established AAP in November 2012 with its party symbol broom, (Jhadu) which claims to clean corruption from the country. Name Aam Aadmi Party itself reflects the party’s ideology, which aspires to be the party of common man or ‘Aam Aadmi’
The strategy adopted by this new party was different but impressive. AAP focussed on blend of technology and brain to attract maximum number of people. The party used social networking sites like twitter, facebook to reach to maximum number of people especially the youths. The party workers sent mass messages and e-mails to inform about their rallies and manifestos indirectly sending message across that people are involved and welcomed in decision making process. Party had deployed its leaders and workers in all 270 wards and each Mohalla (colonies) to beat Congress and BJP. AAP raised real issues of common man and started its campaign against Delhi government.
Meanwhile it highlighted three core problems of electricity, water and unauthorized colonies faced by Delhi residents in its election manifesto. “AAP promised a reduction of consumers’ electricity expenditure by 50%. This will be done by ordering an audit of discoms, rectifying inflated bills and getting electricity bills checked by independent agencies. Licences would be cancelled of any discoms that refuses the audit,” AAP said during its campaign.
“Water is the biggest concern of the aam aadmi in Delhi. As more than 50 lakh people do not get piped water in their homes. AAP is committed to provide free water to every household in Delhi, if it comes to power in Delhi,” reads the party manifesto.
The party manifesto also promised regularisation of unauthorised colonies based on rates decided in the notification of March 24, 2008. The process of authorisation, planning and supervisions development works would be done by the local Mohalla Sabha, with direct participation of the people,” it said.
AAP’s Delhi election strategy
In Delhi, AAP workers went door to door, met people and listened to their grievances in person. The party also deployed its workers at all metro stations and urged people to vote for the party in larger numbers, which turned out to be true bringing AAP government in Delhi. Delhi assembly polls once again proved that money and muscle power aren’t suffice to win an election but you also need to have a proper strategy and intentions to serve the people.
Kejriwal who has blatantly said in public that AAP will neither seek support nor extend support failed to keep his words and ended up forming the government in an alliance with congress. Earlier it has also declined the congress offer saying it will neither back nor garner any support from either of the two parties BJP and Congrss. The elections results have also proved that a huge chunk of Delhi population wanted to to see AAP form the government henceforth they hugely supported Kejriwal led AAP instead of the two national parties (BJP and Congress).
On November, 29, AAP said it will never form an alliance with the ruling Congress or main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This comes after Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit appeared to keep options open to form an alliance with the AAP.
“Aam Aadmi Party wishes to make it absolutely clear that it shall neither seek support nor extend support to the Congress or the BJP. AAP has entered the electoral fray in order to clean politics of its known vices,” said the party in a statement.
AAP defends
As the coalition neared AAP rejected his old theory and said they have always kept options open in case party does not receive any majority.BJP with maximum number of seats in Delhi assembly polls declined to form the government which led onus to form government with AAP, the second largest party in Delhi polls after the BJP. AAP decided to seek opinion from voters of Delhi. The question was to either take support from Congress or to go for re-election.
After so many things said and done, crisis was acute for AAP. ” It wrote a letter defining party’s dilemma and position and circulated some 25 lakh copies of the letter in the city asking peoples opinion on the issue. Internet, cyber media were used public meetings were organised. It also hold ‘jansabha’ seeking supporters opinion and views directly employing common men on the government formation. A large number of people participated in this process. Public gave the responses specified in the table below,” AAP said in its statement.
According to AAP, a total, 697310 responses were received via SMS and internet. Out of which, after removing duplicate IDs and numbers, a total of 523183 people expressed their opinions. Among these, 265966 were from Delhi. Of which, 197086 or 74% gave their decision in favour of government formation,” read the AAP website.
The supporters and well wishers of AAP seem more dejected than joyous over the decision of Aam Aadmi Party to seek support from the congress, the party against whom Arvind Kejriwal led the fight. His official website speaks itself against the decision where the party supporters expressed anguish and anger and questioned about his integrity and changed position. Some people even felt Kejriwal is no different from other politicians, who could not let go an opportunity to be the chief minister of Delhi.
“You promised Delhites that you won’t join hands with either BJP or Congress to form the government, then why have you changed your position. You fought the elections of Delhi with an anti Congress agenda. It was you and your party who says “congress is corrupt” then why are you joining hands with the same congress, said Udit Narang, who posted his comment at AAP’s official site.
Another disheartened supporter, Lakshman while questioning Kejriwal’s changed stance after polls said, “Arvind Kejriwal fought against Congress government in Delhi before elections and created hope in people. What happened now after elections, why there is a change. Is this change for Chief Ministerialship of Delhi? “
Ravi Kumar is of the view that Congress has tried to kill the AAP image by luring it to form coalition in the capital and their true aim is to damage AAP image.
Many AAP supporters even felt that AAP should have chosen choose BJP instead of Congress.
“Please form government in New Delhi with the support of BJP but not with Congress, Because Dr Harshavardhan of BJP is also as honest as Kejriwal,” said another AAP lover, Venkanna.
Source: NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR, a monthly political magazine