For those us who mourned in secret when the AAP self-destructed after Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister of Delhi there may yet be hope. It seems that as winter approaches there may yet be a market for mufflers.
Consider the facts. The dear departed Congress has gone into complete hibernation. Unless they decide to jettison the dynasty and embark on the painful process of rebuilding with a new (hypothetical) set of non-geriatric and non-crook leaders they appear to be on the slippery slope to irrelevance. The BJP, of course, is on a high with even staunch nay-sayers having been forced to acknowledge the power of Mr. Modi. Backed by his firepower, the BJP is hoping for a clean sweep in Delhi in the coming assembly polls. However they are operating under several disadvantages that are growing as time goes on:
1. There is a small but growing chorus of criticism about the BJP and its activities. The fact is that they have taken all the schemes and ideas of the Congress Government, dusted and polished them and put them out for public edification. The mantra is ‘good implementation’ not ‘great ideas.’ Unfortunately implementation of major projects at the National level takes a lot of time and the fickle public is unwilling to grant them the indulgence.
2. The hard edge of Hindutva is beginning to show its face. To his credit, Mr. Modi has steered a very clear path in his public statements. However, the likes of Yogi Adityanath and the Sadhvi have muddied the waters and unsettled the Muslim community. The intelligentsia is also concerned by what they perceive as attempts to saffronise history and meddle with the educational curriculum.
3. There is a certain high handedness and ruthlessness that is evident in the way that some of the opposition states are being dealt with. Admittedly Jayalalitha was convicted by a court and the central government had nothing to do with it. However, as a pressure tactic it was quite effective. The drama in Bengal is unfolding as we speak. How do people react to this? For the committed it is a reinforcement of the political effectiveness of the party’s leaders. For those on the fence it may appear a bit too forceful for their liking. For the opposition it may just send a shiver down their spines.
4. At the state level the new BJP Chief Ministers are a bit of a mixed bag. Fadnavis seems to speak the development lingo fairly well but Khattar appears a bit old fashioned for the likes of glitzy Gurgaon. In Delhi, no clear leader has emerged. All the old names being tossed around seem tired and jaded. Perhaps the party can yet pull out a surprise but as of now the lack of a clear leader adds to the feeling of ‘been there, done that.’
5. On the economic front the key driver has been the decline in oil prices. This has brought down inflation and the government has been able to add to its coffers in a rather painless manner. All this has nothing to do with India and its government. There is no progress on dismantling other subsidies. Company performance is still lacklustre and it does appear that the boom in the stock market may yet be an illusion.
In Delhi, there is a growing feeling that local issues are not being addressed. The AAP is, of course, taking full advantage of this and with good reason:
1. Power bills have been further inflated after the AAP Government left. While oil prices and inflation have come down almost to zero this does appear a bit surprising. The much promised audit of the Discoms has also not happened in any significant way. Clearly the current dispensation is not really motivated to pursue such agendas.
2. The issue of women’s safety continues to be of prime concern. Two years after the Nirbhaya atrocity the perpetrators are still under trial and the so called ‘fast track’ case is meandering along. Recent polls indicate that women continue to face harassment on a daily basis and that nothing has really changed. If for no other reason, the current government headed by the Lt. Governor should hang their heads in shame.
3. Traffic and parking is going from bad to worse. Average travel times in Delhi have almost doubled in the last few years and most of the roads are full of encroachments and debris. There does not appear to be any enforcement and Delhi is fast beginning to look like a drab West UP town.
The AAP is also a chastened party today. They made a series of mistakes starting with running away from the Delhi Government to attempting to compete for a national showing in the Lok Sabha. Many of their erstwhile supporters have also left them, perhaps for the better as it makes the party more consistent.
However what endeared them to people was their genuine concern for the common man and his problems. Day to day corruption, sanitation, inflation and women’s issues are what people are really worried about. It does sound grand to say that Obama will be the chief guest for Republic Day but it rings hollow when 97% of women in the same city said that they have been harassed in public or that many people still defecate in the open and have no access to clean drinking water.
It is not enough to make grand speeches and inaugurate big programmes. Social change comes about on the ground – house by house, street by street. It needs the junoon and commitment of an Arvind Kejriwal to actually make it happen in our capital city. Perhaps the ‘green shoots’ of the AAP may yet overcome the winter of our discontent.
Consider the facts. The dear departed Congress has gone into complete hibernation. Unless they decide to jettison the dynasty and embark on the painful process of rebuilding with a new (hypothetical) set of non-geriatric and non-crook leaders they appear to be on the slippery slope to irrelevance. The BJP, of course, is on a high with even staunch nay-sayers having been forced to acknowledge the power of Mr. Modi. Backed by his firepower, the BJP is hoping for a clean sweep in Delhi in the coming assembly polls. However they are operating under several disadvantages that are growing as time goes on:
1. There is a small but growing chorus of criticism about the BJP and its activities. The fact is that they have taken all the schemes and ideas of the Congress Government, dusted and polished them and put them out for public edification. The mantra is ‘good implementation’ not ‘great ideas.’ Unfortunately implementation of major projects at the National level takes a lot of time and the fickle public is unwilling to grant them the indulgence.
2. The hard edge of Hindutva is beginning to show its face. To his credit, Mr. Modi has steered a very clear path in his public statements. However, the likes of Yogi Adityanath and the Sadhvi have muddied the waters and unsettled the Muslim community. The intelligentsia is also concerned by what they perceive as attempts to saffronise history and meddle with the educational curriculum.
3. There is a certain high handedness and ruthlessness that is evident in the way that some of the opposition states are being dealt with. Admittedly Jayalalitha was convicted by a court and the central government had nothing to do with it. However, as a pressure tactic it was quite effective. The drama in Bengal is unfolding as we speak. How do people react to this? For the committed it is a reinforcement of the political effectiveness of the party’s leaders. For those on the fence it may appear a bit too forceful for their liking. For the opposition it may just send a shiver down their spines.
4. At the state level the new BJP Chief Ministers are a bit of a mixed bag. Fadnavis seems to speak the development lingo fairly well but Khattar appears a bit old fashioned for the likes of glitzy Gurgaon. In Delhi, no clear leader has emerged. All the old names being tossed around seem tired and jaded. Perhaps the party can yet pull out a surprise but as of now the lack of a clear leader adds to the feeling of ‘been there, done that.’
5. On the economic front the key driver has been the decline in oil prices. This has brought down inflation and the government has been able to add to its coffers in a rather painless manner. All this has nothing to do with India and its government. There is no progress on dismantling other subsidies. Company performance is still lacklustre and it does appear that the boom in the stock market may yet be an illusion.
In Delhi, there is a growing feeling that local issues are not being addressed. The AAP is, of course, taking full advantage of this and with good reason:
1. Power bills have been further inflated after the AAP Government left. While oil prices and inflation have come down almost to zero this does appear a bit surprising. The much promised audit of the Discoms has also not happened in any significant way. Clearly the current dispensation is not really motivated to pursue such agendas.
2. The issue of women’s safety continues to be of prime concern. Two years after the Nirbhaya atrocity the perpetrators are still under trial and the so called ‘fast track’ case is meandering along. Recent polls indicate that women continue to face harassment on a daily basis and that nothing has really changed. If for no other reason, the current government headed by the Lt. Governor should hang their heads in shame.
3. Traffic and parking is going from bad to worse. Average travel times in Delhi have almost doubled in the last few years and most of the roads are full of encroachments and debris. There does not appear to be any enforcement and Delhi is fast beginning to look like a drab West UP town.
The AAP is also a chastened party today. They made a series of mistakes starting with running away from the Delhi Government to attempting to compete for a national showing in the Lok Sabha. Many of their erstwhile supporters have also left them, perhaps for the better as it makes the party more consistent.
However what endeared them to people was their genuine concern for the common man and his problems. Day to day corruption, sanitation, inflation and women’s issues are what people are really worried about. It does sound grand to say that Obama will be the chief guest for Republic Day but it rings hollow when 97% of women in the same city said that they have been harassed in public or that many people still defecate in the open and have no access to clean drinking water.
It is not enough to make grand speeches and inaugurate big programmes. Social change comes about on the ground – house by house, street by street. It needs the junoon and commitment of an Arvind Kejriwal to actually make it happen in our capital city. Perhaps the ‘green shoots’ of the AAP may yet overcome the winter of our discontent.
