Many of those who derided AAP’s political ambitions, earlier, are in the forefront of the demand for the party to constitute the government in Delhi, as the BJP and Congress, alike, have promised ‘unconditional’ support. It is like the crocodile in the Panchantra story, who offers to help a monkey cross the river on his back. Everybody knows how that is likely to turn out!
Apart from the major disruption that a repoll would cause in Delhi, including the expense involved on all sides, there is a good chance that the results might turn out more or less the same. For the Congress, which has very little hope of regaining any ground, there is also the very real likelihood of the BJP attaining a majority. This is why an AAP government seems a less daunting prospect. The commonality in the BJP and Congress stands is the desire to see the ‘upstart’ AAP gets its comeuppance by failing to deliver on the promises it has made. Among the people, however, there is hope that AAP will give better, more accountable governance.
The AAP clearly has a stronger hand, today, than it did immediately after the election results were announced. Although the media has not pulled any punches in deriding AAP’s stand, the party is being clever in clearly laying down the fifteen points on which it expects Congress and BJP’s ‘unconditional’ support. If it fails in these for lack of support, it can go to the people and cast blame on those who deserve it. It has the experience of Charan Singh and Chandrashekhar to learn from with regard to the sincerity of Congress support.
A number of ‘clever’ people are pointing fingers at AAP’s ‘populist’ and ‘impractical’ agenda. In an environment where it is possible for a Congress minister to acquire land worth Rs 500 crores for Rs 1 lakh, and when caught get clean away by stating that it was given back, anything that AAP attempts to do in all sincerity for the common people would cost the nation much, much less. The AAP manifesto has been decided through detailed consultations with the constituents. Nobody would know better than the people about the level of difficulty involved and they will give marks keeping that in mind the effort AAP makes to deliver.
The AAP style of politics and its proposed method of governance have discomfited most those who prosper from the complex structure of political patronage existing in the corridors of power. If it is all swept aside by the AAP broom, this parasitic class will starve to death. If the resources of the people are properly and honestly utilised for their benefit, without any leakages whatsoever, it is bound to have an enormous impact in the areas where it matters. Inflation is bound to come down; there will be more to spend on services and infrastructure; the quality will be much better. This is the ‘utopia’ that AAP offers. So, instead of carping about its ‘reluctance’ to rule, and its methods, perhaps it would be wise for all concerned to sincerely assist the party in its task and to give it the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps Kejriwal and his cohorts are smarter than most people think!