The Aam Aadmi Party has decided to try its luck by contesting the general election to spread its wings. Only time will tell if it can fly
The Aam Aadmi Party has decided to try its luck by contesting the 2014 general election to expand its base. After the unprecedented victory in the Delhi Assembly election, last month, the AAP now wants to cash in on its success.
Whether or not the AAP’s new broom can sweep well, the party is riding the excitement of a new brand of politics. Is the AAP in a great hurry to prove itselfIJ With hardly four months to go before the general election, the AAP has identified 10 key States where it hopes to make a difference. There are some who wonder if the AAP is doing the right thing while it does not even have time to think of a national vision.
There is no doubt the AAP is not able to cope with its new status and put its act together. There is so much confusion among the leaders of the AAP talking in different voices on some issues. For instance, Mr Yogendra Yadav talks of seeking more quotas for lower castes and women. Another AAP leader, Mr Prashant Bhushan, wants a referendum on whether the Army should be withdrawn from Jammu & Kashmir. Is it a wise thing to go for such measures when the US is pulling out of Afghanistan and the militants might strike from across the borderIJ Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who hails from Haryana, is dodgy about the khap panchayats despite a Supreme Court ruling. The party has no clarity on these sensitive issues. The political activism of Mr Kejriwal has so far been limited to anti-corruption, and the party has been a one-issue party. But now it will have to address other national issues. So far, Mr Kejriwal has been reluctant to speak on any of these issues. What is the AAP’s position on secularism, minorities, religion, governance issues and identity politicsIJ Campaigning in a small State like Delhi is different from catering to the needs of the other States outside Delhi. What is lacking is a national agenda to match the other parties. It has to spell out its vision on economic and foreign policies. The 30-odd committees, which are working on the manifesto, should provide a clear stand.
Some analysts express doubts about the ability of the AAP to replicate its performance in Delhi. The party came to power on the strength of the Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, which caught the imagination of the people. Mr Kejriwal took on a Chief Minister who was fighting the election to get a fourth term. So the AAP emerged as an alternative to both the Congress and the BJP. But in the lok Sabha poll, the regional parties have already emerged as the alternative and the AAP can only be a spoiler. Even in Delhi it got only 29.5 per cent of total votes. The AAP has to compete with the two big national parties, apart from the regional satraps who have complete hold on their electorate. Can the AAP overtake these parties and perform a miracle in just four monthsIJ
Many believe the AAP could affect the results in urban constituencies to undermine the ability of Mr Narendra Modi and the BJP. The Congress would like to shoot from the shoulders of the AAP to check the rise of Mr Modi. It is a question mark whether the AAP could win seats or it will only cut into the BJP’s votes.
There’s no doubt that the party has launched a new game of politics. It has shown that a new party could form aGovernment in about an year of its inception. It has taken the shortest time in registering its presence, and proved that not much money is needed to fight elections.
The initial response from cities like Bangalore and Mumbai seems to be encouraging for the AAP, as some top-level professionals have joined the party giving an initial boost. There is a possibility of leaders disgruntled with the national and other parties switching to the AAP. Also, the AAP is a match to the modern campaign methods adopted by Mr Modi, with its active campaign in the social media wooing the young and inspirational class.
With all these advantages, the AAP hopes to get 30 to 40 seats and compete with the regional satraps if there is a hung Parliament. The ambitious Mr Kejriwal is eyeing 7, Race Course Road, and is not content with just becoming the Chief Minister. Only time will tell if the AAP will click nationally or not.