AAP is not an alternative to the BJP
in Punjab also turned against him. The founders of AAP began feeling claustrophobic. Allegations surfaced that AAP is just a coterie of two to four people that has no room for independent voices.
In Delhi lingo, his friends and he should have kept their thand (cool). But the exact opposite happened. Whenever they emerged in the public, they made a new allegation. AAP’s spokespersons followed the same trajectory. The result? The party’s perception kept turning negative. The person on whom the people had pinned their hopes to get their work done was nowhere to be found.
Here we should remember that the Aam Aadmi Party and Narendra Modi rose on the national horizon around the same time. Both resisted corruption and sided with the well-being of the common man.
It was a unique time in Indian politics. Numerous scams were being revealed and the former prime minister was silent despite his impeccable credentials and capabilities. The people wanted change. They saw a liberator and saviour in both Modi and Kejriwal. I don’t know why Indians want to straddle two poles at the same time.
As soon as he assumed power, Modi put his ministers into action and sent out the message that even if they didn’t manage to fulfil election promises in a jiffy, they should make an honest attempt in that direction. This was the alternative space that AAP wanted to capture. But the Modi-Shah duo has compelled it to shrink.
In the run-up to the elections, Arvind Kejriwal should have focused all his energies on Delhi’s development. Contrary to this, he began dreaming about going on to win the nation through Punjab and Goa. The results are before you. It is possible that in the days ahead, the Bharatiya Janata Party could try and topple his government and the Aam Aadmi Party may face disintegration. But it’ll be a folly to assume that the political career of Kejriwal or his supporters is over.
One hopes Arvind Kejriwal will understand the ramifications of this new electoral setback. Because, in the eyes of his voters, he is still their hope for the future.