AAP Could Fill Delhi’s Political Vacuum Then, But Couldn’t Sustain Lashing Pressure Now

The memory is still vivid amongst many of us when Delhi streets witnessed closures due to massive protests, first at the Nirbhaya case and second at the IAC (India Against Corruption) movement. The fierce protests and the spontaneity with which people participated, were clear signals of a looming danger over the Sheila Dikshit government. That Sheila Dikshit was losing ground at a fast pace was the writing on the wall. But, for the citizens including many of us, it was not clear who would fill the political vacuum that emerged within a short span of time. However, BJP couldn't become an obvious alternative during that time.

It was at this time that an NGO worker turned activist Arvind Kejriwal emerged to capture the political spot, who nobody could think of becoming an important political leader of the country. But he rose to the level of Delhi CM replacing the 15-year legacy of Sheila Dikshit, who was often seen as an architect of Delhi’s new development by bringing the Metros, Greening of the city and whatnot. But that strong legacy stumbled in front of Kejriwal, who became a political icon of Delhi within a relatively short span of time. Kejriwal, before forming the AAP and contesting the Delhi assembly election, was hardly known to have any political engagement as such, though he was involved in many social work activities.

Kejriwal proved to knack the political smartness; he didn’t join the BJP but formed a new political stream, the AAP. Probably, Kejriwal knew that the political situation of Delhi was fertile for a new possibility and he was proven right. From this, we can derive clearly that Delhi did not want the BJP as a replacement for Congress when Sheila Dikshit's government started dwindling. 

Kejriwal pronounced schemes that kept Delhiites stunned. No one could ever believe that their electricity bills would ever go NIL before Kejriwal came out with a clear-cut plan to deliver it when elected. The Congress stood clueless and BJP couldn’t catch up with Kejriwal. The AAP could attract a coterie of youth who worked day and night to clean up the politics.

AAP’s symbol of the Broom (‘Jhadu’) was portrayed as an effort to sweep away the dirt of the polity. For many of us, even after 12 years and more, the memory is still vivid—how strong an appeal it was to ‘clean the politics’. It was like a wave with Kejriwal at the pinnacle. “Cleaning of politics”, “corruption-free governance” and “freebies” were the catchy phrases at that time. 

The fuel was enough to keep the wheels spinning for ten continuous years. However, it will have to be admitted that Kejriwal’s government ensured delivery of the promises to a great extent that generated more energy for AAP’s vehicle to keep running. Mohalla clinics, free bus rides, free electricity (to a certain unit count), development of government schools etc. kept mesmerizing a vast section of Delhi’s voters, especially the working class, which is a substantial proportion of Delhi’s total voters. 

But if we travel back to the genesis of AAP and the emergence of Kejriwal as a political leader it becomes clear that AAP’s political DNA did not undergo much change during this period and when the pressure mounts high, it couldn’t withstand.

Kejriwal and the AAP continued to be the political force without banking upon a prominent ideological plank. Today’s political atmosphere doesn’t appear to give leverage to anyone without that—you are either this side or that side. Kejriwal went ahead with more or less the same understanding as it did during that time. 

AAP has never encountered a giant in its opposition as it did in the form of BJP this time. The political atmosphere is filled up with intense activities of the BJP, a sharp contrast to what it was during the period of AAP’s genesis. 

It was thought that AAP would retain its support from the working class and the weaker sections while its middle-class base was dwindling. But this seems not to have happened. The fierce BJP campaign and the intense attack it unleashed on Kejriwal and AAP proved dangerous for it. BJP was successful in developing a counter-narrative of his victim playing, blame gaming tactics. Undeniably, it can’t be accepted that the Kejriwal government was not victimized ever.

Kejriwal should have remembered that fighting a giant in its opposition may not be possible alone. Any serious effort in building political collaboration was never visible on the part of Kejriwal’s activities although being a part of the INDIA Bloc.