Dr. Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao
There is more than one way of interpreting the Delhi assembly election results. From the political angle it is a major victory for BJP which was out of power for the last 27 years in Delhi and a sweat revenge win on APP which kept BJP out of power despite it being the victor an all three successive Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. From the statistical angle it appears as a tight fight between BJP and APP as the vote percentage points between the two main contenders is just 3. But the reality is more than what we see in those two exclusive angles. It is a defeat for the new political thought, it is a defeat for the changed political culture and it is a defeat for the middle class aspirations. In total it is a huge defeat for the man who rose all those new aspirations a decade ago lost the way after two consequent election victories in Delhi and whose party received the national party recognition with in a decade of launching the party. Yes it is Aravind Kejriwal, who single handedly busted the myth of invincibility of Modi-Shaw duo not once but twice now lay almost dead politically with none to extend a helping hand. There are many other parties, all friendly with him till recently, which are celebrating Kejriwal downfall. In a way the Congress celebration of Kejriwal defeat was more open and grandeur rather than the real victor BJP and that shows the story behind political negativism that Aravind Kejriwal built for himself.
Middle class which was the back bone for the India against corruption movement initiated by the social activist Anna Hazare, saw Aravind Kejriwal as the real successor of Hazare and his movement and stood behind him when he announced the formation of AAP. Middle class went with AAP by giving 67 out of 70 seats in Delhi assembly and such a massive mandate was unheard off. Aravind Kejriwal for the first five years stood by the trust of Delhi people and scored another impressive 62 seat victory in 2020. Then came the transformation in Aravind Kejriwal, the politician and his ambition to be the real challenger to Narendra Modi and his belief that all the opposition parties will automatically accept his newly acquired stature made him to behave erratically.
Downfall of Aravind Kejriwal started with way he started his second term as CM and has taken the way which his middle class vote bank always abhorred. He changed his life style from that of ‘aam aadmi’ to any other CM of any other party. The building of sesh mahal for himself itself was a wrong move, disliked by middle class. The honesty factor, the USP of Aravind Kejriwal, got a dent with the exposal of Delhi liquor scam. He may demand for solid evidence for the tainted money reaching him and such direct evidence is hard to get, just as in Bofors scandal, but middle class believed that then with Rajiv’s role in Bofors case and now in Aravind’s involvement in liquor scam. Not without evidence that Supreme Court refused immediate bail for AAP top leaders in the scam. Not only liquor scam money but the middle class suspect that Aravind Kejriwal developed a nexus with the pro-Khalistani forces and even received funds from such divisive groups.
The other issue which made middle class voter to move away from AAP is Aravind Kejriwal running the party on his personality cult like any other regional party. When he was forced to step down from the CM post and appointed Atishi as CM, her blatant exhibition of empty chair by her side and clarification given that the CM chair is always Aravind’s didn’t go well with middle class. Then his attempt to make AAP as family centric party by bringing his wife into party chair and even thought of appointing her as CM was received derisively by the middle class.
Middle class wanted pure, honest politician Aravind Kejriwal, whom they adored in 2012 and not like any other politician with whom they are vexed. By adopting confrontational politics with the L.G. of Delhi to build his own image, Kejriwal gave up the developmental agenda and focused on political agenda and that is where he lost the image in the minds of middle class and lost the election.
Defeat in the election is common for any political party and leader. But the defeat of Aravind Kejriwal is most uncommon as he personally lost the seat and many of his ministerial colleagues were also lost. From this morale shattering defeat can Aravind Kejriwal recover with the ever haunting BJP and investigating agencies ready to pounce on him and no other party lending support for a friend, Aravind Kejriwal, in distress?
(Author is retired professor. The views expressed are personal.
