Aam Aadmi Party is here to stay

Akansha Mehta

For some optimistic and hopeful idealists Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) might be a revolutionary saviour in the eternal game of dirty politics while some realists may beg to differ. In our political arena, till the time one remains a symbol of a holy civil society, the intention, nature and character of the movement or the leader is never doubted by the public. It is only when one takes the real plunge into politics that skepticism follows.

       While Aam Aadmi Party is often ridiculed by intellectuals for its half-baked policies and its political rivals look at it as a meek and inexperienced adversary, the Indian politics however doesn't work on these beliefs. The aam janta care too hoots about how the politics work. The most suitable and current example of this can be seen in the Karnataka State elections. While the self-claimed secular party whose height of corruption record soared higher than inflation and their brazenness lower than the Indian rupee all over the country, the party despite its impeccably blotted image came out victorious in Karnataka. In our country, citizens vote not by their choice but by their preference which they form at the end of a party’s tenure. Their concerns, problems and expectations from their representatives in practicality are very different from the theoretical aspects discussed by intellectuals. In the October elections, AAP stands a decent chance of its success, if not a grand one then at least one that can give it a considerable head start. From a rickshaw puller to a University teacher, AAP has created enough uproar amongst all the members of society to be able to make its substantive and qualitative presence felt. The disgruntled public of Delhi also has enough reasons to prefer AAP. Another USP of AAP is its approachability. Unlike any other party leaders AAP leaders are yet to declare themselves as VIPs, they are perceived by the public as one amongst them. The party portrays to believe in strong representation from the grass root level (as also emphasized in the party’s manifesto “Swaraj” by Arvind Kejriwal). An example of this can be seen in the very first mohalla sabha organised by AAP in Vasundhara Enclave in Delhi where the citizens of the locality could directly interact with their area’s elected representative and other government officers to discuss the problem of their locality and suggest solutions. The party’s approach and strategy towards securing trust and hope from the public seems logical and practical. Delhi being a city of politically informed and alert citizens with a large mass of educated youth may get wooed by this one.

       To suggest that though this party might not be wearing the veil of secularism or the khakhi shorts but has a flimsy foundation and base of Lok Pal will be pessimism on the part of public and usual political strike by the rival parties. We should not forget when the Indian National Congress was formed in 1885, it was perceived as an elitist, then educated and wealthy people's institution. No intellectual could then predict that this party would become the largest national party of the country. Notions and perceptions of critics have always failed to predict the future of a political party. AAP is a rapidly growing institution. To what extent will it stand by its ideology and how effective will its implementation be is something that only time will tell. Till then AAP is a party that has arrived and is here to stay.

The author's view gets more support in form of Times Now- C-Voter opinion poll in which AAP is predicted to make massive gains in Delhi.