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| Credits- VOA |
When Aam Aadmi Party was born out of the India Against Corruption and the move for the Jan Lokpal Bill, it was a watershed movement in Indian Politics. Led by the veteran Gandhian and Social Activist Anna Hazare, the demand for change was coming from the grass root. People who was fed up of the political system which was apathetic to the voice of the people and cared little for change was shocked. It was sure that Indian politics was about to change. It also brought about the realisation that India had changed for ever. Gone were the days where the political parties could take the Indians for a ride with false promises. The people made it clear that the political system should hear to them and should perform. Hollow promises would no longer sell. The changing force was the digital revolution that brought about information to the grass root level. No longer could the political parties lie and get away with it under presumption that the population could not do anything for the next five years and they can go back to the people after five years and again take for them for a ride. People demanded change. It was a mass movement. Arvind Kajriwal was one of the leaders of the movement. Volunteers flocked in and thus was born the "AAM AADMI PARTY"
THE DELHI ELECTIONS
The need of change within the population brought the AAP to power in 2015. It was on the promise of change. AAP styled themselves as a party of change. They promised a new era wherein the government would be transparent. But when AAP started ruling, things began to change. Faulty and short sighted policies which only had a populist ring did not go down well with the middle class who was the main supporter for AAP. The party that promised themselves to be a party with a difference became just another political party. Ther blind hatred for the BJP and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was their own undoing. Arvind Kajriwal seemed to complain about everything and started accusing and mocking the prime minister. He also started seeking alliance with other political parties whose credentials was questionable. He worked under the presumption that the people would support him come what may. He took the support of the people for granted. Administration paralysis was happening in Delhi. In the meanwhile, other founders of the movement like Anna Hazare distanced themselves from Kajriwal and AAP.
THE DOWNWARD SWING
Things came to a head in the 2017 state elections when AAP got one of their greatest defeat. Their only saving grace was in Punjab where they garnered some seats. But as is the practise, their chief Kajeriwal started blaming everybody including the voting machines. Then in the recent MCD elections, they go it their greatest defeat in some seats they even loosing their deposit. The writing was on the wall. It was message that the times had changed and that people wanted actions and not just words. If you want to remain relevant, you will need to act. People cannot be fooled.
THE LAST CHANCE
AAP if it wants to remain relevant has to understand their message. The next elections for Delhi falls in the year 2020. So AAP has three more years to get back into shape. How they utilise this time is anybody's guess. If they do not get the message, they will end up like some other parties in Indian political graveyard who was relevant for some time but disappeared in the sand dunes of time. How things will evolve, only time can tell. Let us wait and see how things shape up and evolve.
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