What went wrong with AAP

Three choices: Nothing; Something; Everything. Correct answer: All three, but at different points of time. Let's see how

Ever since the results of the Delhi assembly elections were announced, AAP's popularity was seen ballooning in all major cities. AAP's unexpected performance in the Delhi elections had a huge positive rub-off on political entrepreneurs at all levels. Every household in India started viewing AAP as a political startup and felt that its success could be easily replicated. In fact, there was a huge wave of excitement across society and people felt that raising their voice against political corruption was much easier now. It sent a message of hope across the country that it is possible to contest and win elections without money and muscle power; that people with ideas and ideals can contest elections and win. NOTHING seemed wrong with the AAP. It was a fairy tale on a song.

No fairy tale can last forever and AAP was no exception. The first fault lines appeared when AAP decided to stake a claim to form the government despite being clearly short of majority. Along came the classical compulsions of governance which AAP had not forseen. It was a political party formed out of a movement against the established system and still remained so. The Somnath Bharti incident, dharna by the CM, the spat with the power companies, filing of the FIR against Reliance Industries and other similar incidents clearly indicated that the philosophy of breaking the system in protest, which formed the bedrock of the AAP in its run up to the elections, was carried into governance also. Governance has its own set of rules, regulations and compulsions, which need to be respected. AAP did not understand this. SOMETHING was surely wrong with the AAP model.

India is Parliamentary democracy and the party in governance has to respect the fact that all decisions are subjected to Parliamentary debate and scrutiny. Hence the party in power has to maintain a healthy working relationship with the opposition parties. AAP as a party could not understand and appreciate this. For them every other political party was corrupt and hand in glove with each other. Their handling of the legislative business on the floor of the house was anything but right. They carried their attitude of confrontation into the Legislative Assembly also. Since it was not the single largest party and was still in governance, AAP should have realized that it must carry the opposition parties along if it actually wants to perform. But AAP was severely lacking in this aspect of politics also. The manner in which the Jan Lok Pal Bill was tabled in the Assembly was ample proof of this. By now it seemed EVERYTHING was wrong with AAP.

So from Nothing wrong to Something wrong and finally Everything wrong – the AAP model has seen it all. And what is commendable is that all this has happened in a short span of 50 days. This surely seems to be a record of sorts and AAP must celebrate this achievement. Hope AAP members / supporters are listening.