This refers to the article, “lessons for India's latest ‘messiah'” (January 6) by Balbir Punj. The author has done a timely job of reminding Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal that his impressive success in the Delhi Assembly poll is not unique. We have had several instances such as the triumph of the Janata Party and VP Singh's victory over Rajiv Gandhi's rule. But these experiments proved fragile and had a short life because they failed to deliver.
Mr Kejriwal started from a point of sanctimony, condemning both the Congress and the BJP as ‘corrupt' and ‘thieves', but he has quickly compromised to form a Government in Delhi with the outside support of his enemy number one. To add to the problem is the lack of mature leadership on his part and the over-emphasis on populism. Mr Kejriwal initially accepted a huge accommodation. This annoyed his supporters and friends who reminded him of his self-acclaimed aversion to VIP culture. He had to make a U-turn. What does this show of his mindsetIJ