Walking New Delhi, talking Goa and Punjab

The Aam Aadmi Party was formed as a response to vote bank politics and a vitiated political culture. It excited the nation due to its promise of working on principles of transparency, participation, accountability and integrity. Today, it has become another vote bank party,  possibly successful electorally, but no different. Operation successful, patient dead.

The 2013 AAP campaign in the Delhi Assembly election was designed to show anger with posters of a Kejriwal with eyes blazing and strong slogans like “Niklo bahar makano se, Jang lado beimaano se.” The AAP government also operated with anger, with the Chief Minister sleeping on the roads and holding dharnas. The government resigned in 49 days, ostensibly to trigger a new election and return with a majority.  

Delhiites were upset at this abdication of duty. So, a new Kejriwal was designed for the next election. A softer leader with an apology and a smile. They were forgiven with an unprecedented 67 seats.  

But the smile was soon replaced with arrogance with the victory. Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were kicked out, along with all leaders with independent thoughts. A party opposed to personality-driven politics was now a coterie of yes-men.

Cold-blooded calculations compromised on founding principles. Prime ministerial ambitions for 2019 were hatched. Attention-seeking statements, and alliances with regional parties, were strategised.  

While Kejriwal’s coterie would congratulate themselves for this media attention, the resentment in the street is gathering strength. Earlier, every statement by AAP was taken seriously, including allegations of corruption. Now, with corruption, sex and fake degree scandals, AAP is left with no credibility. Real suffering has been the lot of Delhi’s citizens.  

This is not the first time that there have been different governments in Centre and state but the warring between them is unprecedented. Generally, after the hurly-burly in a campaign, governments get down to working collaboratively. But, AAP chose to discard the soft, decent approach for a confrontational approach.Confrontational politics have two sides and it would be naive to expect the PM and top leaders of BJP not to respond to personal attacks.

AAP is using New Delhi as a launch pad for an electoral victory in other parts of the country, rather than govern well. It has used the money of Delhi’s citizens to advertise nationwide. It sends MLAs, elected to work in their localities, for party work across India. Most of its leaders are focused on poll-bound states.

There is also dereliction of duty. Doctors say over 30,000 people in New Delhi will die due to bronchial diseases. This is criminal misgovernance. The Delhi government holds primary responsibility. It should have upped the ante four months ago. They could have collaborated with the Centre and neighbouring states on a solution. Or, raised a public stink. But like Nero, they fiddled instead.

Just like their lackadaisical response to the dengue epidemic, the focus on pollution now is too little too late. Maybe a genuine apology and a change of heart may win back the people of Delhi. It is worth trying.