Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) are fighting a losing battle in India's General Elections 2014. They will make no significant dent on the BJP's tally in the end. The other major National Party - the Congress Party - seemed like a non-starter from the beginning. But we must understand the genesis of the AAP and its objective in first contesting for the Delhi Assembly and then for Lok Sabha. Anna Hazare, Kejriwal et al wanted to clean up Indian politics and government from outside, from Jantar Mantar but failed to do so. If one considers AAP's single point agenda of cleaning up the system from within, then despite their expected poor show in the on-going elections, the BROOM would have silently, swept the polls and more.
The people of Delhi cannot blame AAP for running away. Can't the people of the Capital city make a small sacrifice for a national cause? By pressing the button next to the Broom, the Delhite was expressing her angst against the two main parties. Isn't that clear? Instead of None of the Above (NOTA), they pressed on Broom. Job done! Nobody expected it. The next Delhi Assembly election will clearly see BJP come with a thumping majority. But the people of Delhi cannot be ungrateful to AAP even though their decision to exit the Delhi government was political suicide and the decision to quickly jump into the national scene is considered hasty by many.
Lets not forget what AAP is here for. Lets not expect them to govern. At least I won't if I give my vote to Mayank Gandhi on April 24. On 27 September 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to register a NOTA would increase voter turnout. The judges said that this "would lead to a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates". "Democracy is all about choices and voters will be empowered by this right of negative voting," AAP has become like NOTA-2 for those voters who don't want to be seen as "wasting" their precious vote in case they don't agree with any of the contesting candidates in their constituency.
Consider how due to AAP's relentless efforts and mostly unconventional style, the tone of the discussion in the world's largest democracy has now shifted from caste, money power and personalities to ISSUES, CLEAN CANDIDATES, TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY. Sure, this election we still have tainted candidates, tons of money and liquor flowing freely, but there is an audible talk among the aam admi to make his/her vote count. Without doubting the BJP's claim to being clean, left to themselves, even they could not have single-handedly change the focal point of this elections the way AAP has done it. It is only because of the leaders of India Against Corruption (IAC) - Hazare, Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and many others - did India witness the mass movements of the type we saw from 2012 and the cry for Lokpal and transparency, a demand to end the malaise of corruption in public life. Thanks to the short but impactful honeymoon of AAP with the media, the public outcry to clean the system reached the crescendo that it has in 2014. The Nirbhaya case and in small measures many other efforts like Aamir Khan's Satyamev Jayate, Baba Ramdev, etc. also helped keep the conversation alive.
Whether AAP wins anywhere at all or is decimated completely does not matter. The Kejriwal team would have won because they have changed the way India chooses its leaders from now. I have a strange feeling that the Kejri team was the Trojan horse sent into enemy camp by Hazare. The IAC has won, the People of India have won!
The people of Delhi cannot blame AAP for running away. Can't the people of the Capital city make a small sacrifice for a national cause? By pressing the button next to the Broom, the Delhite was expressing her angst against the two main parties. Isn't that clear? Instead of None of the Above (NOTA), they pressed on Broom. Job done! Nobody expected it. The next Delhi Assembly election will clearly see BJP come with a thumping majority. But the people of Delhi cannot be ungrateful to AAP even though their decision to exit the Delhi government was political suicide and the decision to quickly jump into the national scene is considered hasty by many.
Lets not forget what AAP is here for. Lets not expect them to govern. At least I won't if I give my vote to Mayank Gandhi on April 24. On 27 September 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to register a NOTA would increase voter turnout. The judges said that this "would lead to a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates". "Democracy is all about choices and voters will be empowered by this right of negative voting," AAP has become like NOTA-2 for those voters who don't want to be seen as "wasting" their precious vote in case they don't agree with any of the contesting candidates in their constituency.
This is a landmark year for our Democracy. But, Oh People of this great country, your role is far from over by casting that vote and posting selfies of the black mark on FB. Whoever you voted for, your real role begins now. Congratulations BJP! Good luck BJP! India is now restless and alert.
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