Arvind Kejriwal accepts mistake - bowing to pressure or genuine course correction?

The beauty of Indian politics is that the words of politicians matter very little in reality. With public memory being very short, politicians enjoy the leeway of drastically changing goalposts and assertions. But even by the Indian standards, Kejriwal's U-turn over the reason behind AAP's debacle is startling. Just a day before the MCD results came, Kejriwal virtually threatened to launch a stir if exit polls turned out to be true. Once it was clear, that BJP has swept all three wings of MCD, AAP leaders came out in unison parroting the party line that EVMs have been hacked. But following after senior leaders like Bhagwant Mann and Kumar Vishvas virtually rubbished the EVM theory, Kejriwal has changed his tact. 

In a chastened, much-humble avatar, he posted on Twitter, "In the last two days, I spoke to many volunteers and voters. The reality is obvious. Yes, we made mistakes but we will introspect and course correct. Time to go back to drawing board".  Kejriwal further said, "It's time to get back to work. And even if we slip from time to time, the key is to find the reserves to hold and pull ourselves up. People deserve nothing less. The only thing constant is change," 

In perhaps a note to himself, Delhi CM said. "To not evolve is silly. Need is action not excuse".

In the last 2 days .... pic.twitter.com/0quqxJtNAt — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 29, 2017

Now to many sympathisers and well-wishers of AAP, these words come as a welcome change. AAP, the latest start-up in India's political firmament was plagued with all the problems which torments political newcomers. It started with a bang, managed to accumulate a band of followers, won a state, then tried to expand indiscriminately, got a reality check in the process and lost its valuation. In corporate boardrooms, it would have resulted in the CEO being sacked. But since AAP is a quintessential Indian political party, accountability is not exactly a prerequisite. Hence Arvind Kejriwal still remains the one-point authority in the party despite a string of reverses. 

But with voices of discontent on the rise, Kejriwal has been forced to change his strategy. Remember, how opinions expressed by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were crushed? At that time AAP was riding a wave post the Delhi win, and it could afford to brush aside unpopular opinions, or even get rid of leaders. But now Kejriwal is fire-fighting on several fronts and has no real leverage. Amidst demands that Kejriwal sticks to governing Delhi, and give the task of political expansion to Kumar Vishwas, Delhi CM has come out of with this apology. 

After the win in Delhi, AAP's political manoeuvring was based on pomp and hubris. Aided by constant limelight given by the Delhi-based media, AAP suddenly believed that it's part of the big boys - which can challenge the hegemony of BJP and Congress. What AAP failed to acknowledge was India is not Delhi and Delhi is not India. It believed that running a high-octane campaign, which included taking potshots at PM Modi will help them win states. In social media, AAP matched others in the hash tag game but lost out on the ground. 

Kejriwal not projecting a Sikh CM candidate in Punjab and allegedly flirting with soft Khalistani elements cost them dear. In Goa, the party made no effort to woo the Hindu community. The writing was on the wall for all, except the hard-core AAP fans. 

While Kejriwal was busy looking to expand party's the footprints, Delhi government was getting involved in series of controversies with LG and MCD, primarily over jurisdiction of power. The ego clashes made for dishy headlines, but did very little for the common citizens of the capital. The MCD catastrophe was perhaps imminent. 

Now Kejriwal's note suggests that volunteers and leaders have conveyed their feedback to him. An honest introspection may lead to a severe purge and potential loss of clout for him. Political parties like Asom Gana Parisha (AGP) and Janata Party have faded into oblivion because they couldn't match up to changing political reality.

A top-heavy leadership couldn't address the aspirations of its cadres. Can AAP escape such a fate? The euphoria behind brand Kejriwal has hurt his party's progress. Kejriwal has taken the first step by accepting his mistake. It's time for him to back it with action.