Somesh Jha: AAP channels focus on Delhi

It is seeking re-elections in the capital soon, as delay will only lead to gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party

Since the results of the Lok Sabha election were announced, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released 48 press statements. However, these rarely find any space in national dailies.

After a spectacular debut in the Delhi Assembly elections in December 2013, AAP has been struggling to find a footing in the political arena. "AAP MLAs have been putting in phenomenal efforts at the ground level, working for the aam aadmi and serving their everyday needs at the mohalla sabha levels. Unfortunately, this has gone unnoticed because the media does not report on it," the party said in a mail to its supporters.
 

The party has been constantly voicing its opinion on a wide range of issues - Budget 2014-15, the special investigation team on black money, inflation, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's e-rickshaw business ties, the controversy over Delhi University's four-year undergraduate programme, the power situation in the national capital and so on.

At one time, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was the most interviewed politician in India. However, since the party's Lok Sabha election rout, he hasn't given even a single interview, instead choosing to interact with the people directly through Google Hangouts.

After cracks among the party's senior leadership over the party's post-election assessment widened, AAP had to carry out major damage-control measures. Now, the party is on a course-correction path - at public gatherings, Arvind Kejriwal is often seen apologising for quitting as Delhi chief minister just 49 days into his term.

For now, the party's strategy is clear - regaining lost ground in Delhi. "We are here not to change one constituency, but the whole country! Fighting in Delhi seems to be more logical. Winning Delhi is extremely important to generate positive political energy. My view is we should not fight any other election before the Delhi Assembly elections," Kejriwal said in his first Google Hangouts session, "Our Way Forward", on May 29.

After the Union Budget was announced, AAP gave a separate statement on the Budget allocation for Delhi, slamming Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for lack of clarity on the funds allocated for water and power reforms in the national capital.

Such is the party's need to return to the Delhi Secretariat that it has channelled back-door talks with the Congress on the reformation of government in the capital, albeit without much success. For this, it drew flak from political commentators and senior party leaders. The party also approached Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, asking him not to dissolve the Delhi Assembly, as it was considering "alternate ways to form the government". Within a few hours of the move, Kejriwal issued a press statement, clarifying government formation seemed impossible.

AAP claims its 27 MLAs have held about 250 mohalla sabhas across Delhi. "The political affairs committee keeps meeting frequently. Volunteer meets are a regular affair, too. The party is again concentrating on Delhi," said a party source.

On July 5, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia addressed Lok Sabha candidates, discussing a course of action. Kejriwal, the national convener, organised a strategic meet with the party's Delhi MLAs, observers and co-ordinators. To reach every household, the party is appointing booth incharges in Delhi. It has also launched "Mission Vistaar" to re-structure itself at booth and state levels.

Back on the party's checklist are key issues that had once won the hearts of almost a third of Delhi citizens - price rise, acute shortage of electricity and water and the corrupt administration. The party also came out in support of the e-rickshaw, taking up the issue of their legality with Jung.

Now, AAP is seeking re-elections in Delhi as early as possible, as delay in this regard will only lead to gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which swept all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi. After the Lok Sabha election results, the party recorded about 100 donors a day. That number was close to about 1,000-1,500 before May 16.

Kejriwal says it is too soon to write off AAP. "Media is important, but it is not everything. If they block us out, we will engage in person-to-person contact. The media wrote our obituary, but we bounced back every time," he said at a Google Hangouts session.