The words “Aam Aadmi” meaning ordinary man occupy an indispensable place in the political theater of India with almost all national level and regional level stars using the cliché term to connect to the voters who do not seem to have another choice but to bid on the most viable alternative. Last year saw the rise of a movement, the fast unto death by Anna Hazare that pressurized the government to implement the Jan Lokpal Bill and eventually the movement that had gathered support faded away with the government giving another tray of promises. While Anna felt that the movement should be politically unaligned, his supporter Arvind Kejriwal had a difference of opinion and they eventually split up which led to the birth of Aam Aadmi Party or AAP as we call it, on 26th November 2012.
With the Delhi legislative assembly around the corner, the AAP is making an entry into all the 70 constituencies in the very first go, and is having quite a good level of acceptance considering the fact that the party didn’t even exist a year ago. With the ideology of Swaraj and the symbol of a broom that promises to dust out corruption, the party has managed to create a wave of curiosity among the voters. While Delhi has traditionally been dominated by the BJP and the INC in the legislative assembly, the astrologers predict that this election could be a photo finish. Here’s a report on the opinion poll predicting 18 seats for the AAP in Delhi.
While AAP poised to take a slice of the vote share from both the BJP and Congress, it portrays itself to be risen from the common man and thus being able to connect and work with him better than the national political parties fighting it out there. The question here is if AAP really is AAM and should one vote for the AAP or not. Here is an analysis of their pros and cons that could help the voters to some extent:
Reasons why one can consider voting for AAP:
1) A new party with a promise to lead to a corruption free India and that has bought a new pool of ground level leaders into mainstream politics.
2) A leader who is believed to be headstrong and was spotted supporting the Anna Hazare movement vehemently.
3) It has pretty swiftly created a niche base for itself with lots of people willing to give it a chance, and lots of donors donating small amounts.
4) Transparency on their website which largely seems to impress the audience.
Here is why now I would not consider voting the AAP to power at all:
1) Even though the party came in with a clean image, a brahmastra with the name ‘common man’ and new promises, they have started working like any typical political party slamming on opponents and rivals over communalism and secularism, and Arvind Kejriwal making irresponsible statements on media.
2) The AAP recently got into a great mess, with 8 of its leaders that were targeted by sting operations under media sarkar, and on that they called a press conference at which it was demanded that the unedited tape be handed over to them. The media sarkar snubbing that went ahead and handed it over directly to the EC following which a defence from the AAP leader Yogendra Yadav saying that it was doctored.
( Few Reference Links that validate the facts: 1, 2, 3)
3) Kejriwal is alleged of possessing three voter IDs – two from Delhi and one from UP, also he was recently given a notice by the Election Commission for seeking votes in the name of religion which makes him no different from other political parties.
4) With leaders like Shazia Ilmi in the negative list for staging false protests against a company and asking for donations in Benami names to the AAP in lieu of that has once again shown that AAP is no different from other political parties.
5) With Kiran Bedi who is one of the acceptable faces amongst Delhi as a honest upright person distancing herself from AAP over their practices, the AAP’s credibility is once again in doubts.
Thus, we see that the AAP is behaving in no different way or is not leading into a new direction as it claims, than compared to political parties. Thus, I really doubt if someone like Arvind Kejriwal who has no experience of administering a state and who has managed to create so much ruckus with a new political party be given the command of the National Capital which is also the base of the PM and the President.
However, the final verdict rests with the voters of Delhi and December 8th will clear all the anxieties and show the mandate of the people.