Dear friends,
I had supported Aam Aadmi Party before the Delhi Elections, and now again before the Lok Sabha Elections, and as this stint of support comes to a close, there are a few hard truths (at least truths according to me) that need to be said.
Firstly and most importantly, this is a categoric defeat for Aam Aadmi Party at the polls. We can use platitudes like saying even one or two AAP politicians in the Parliament will make a difference. We can point to BJP’s meager two seats the first time it contested elections, this does not change the fact that Aam Aadmi Party has lost horrendously.
There are four AAP MPs now, and that is always a good thing, but let us not fool ourselves or anyone that BJP’s two seat show the first time it contested was anything but defeat either. We are talking about an increased vote share in Delhi, a good showing in Punjab. What no one is talking about is that AAP had put up candidates NATIONWIDE. From winning slightly less than half the seats contested in Delhi, AAP has dropped to winning 1% of seats it contested – none of whom had a role in National leadership or even campaigned outside their areas. Not a single AAP public figure won. This has a lot of feedback, if you are not busy not looking at it.
Naturally, the fight was tougher. There were more parties in the fray, the stakes were higher, the media was more biased…. we can list out the difficulties. Perhaps some candidates will get disqualified and some more AAP people may get in. Still, for every 100 seats contested, AAP won 1. This, by no means is a reflection of the voice of the people. This already fails at the “bhrasht raajneeti ukhad ke phek denge” campaign talk.
Still worse was to talk down the nationwide efforts and throw down the gauntlet at Varanasi and Amethi to make what was till then a contest of values into a clash between personalities. I am not talking of the decision to field strong candidates against strong leaders – that was important, but the decision to make the whole fight boil down to the two seats – Varanasi and Amethi.
The strategy of covering as many seats as possible failed too. It spread resources too thin, perhaps. Money, volunteers, candidates.
Those seats are lost. The damage that did to party prospects nationwide cannot be replaced in another five years. AAP didn’t make it as a National Party. The loudest AAP voices did not get into the Parliament – which both Kumar Vishwas and Arvind Kejriwal would have, if they had contested from where their strength was, instead of chasing targets to take down. There would be more seats won, if the focus was spread nationwide. This is, by no means a small price to pay in terms of morale for a party that operates on a shoestring budget and whose volunteers often braved physical assault, injury and death to hold it high.
To me, this signifies a comprehensive leadership failure, even as the volunteers worked their hearts out.
The focus on vote banks – particularly by communities instead of livelihoods alone, as in the Delhi elections allowed room for far more skilled established parties to play completely on their home turf. This undoubtedly contributed to BJP’s landslide victory as well. People lost touch with what they thought AAP was in the prime time leading to the elections.
This will have an impact on the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections as well, because BJP WILL capitalize on this win with an immediate call for elections. That vacuum that no one wanted to touch after the AAP govt quit is gone. Far more work will be needed to capture that space back.
It was a gamble. A gamble that failed with far reaching consequences for the party. In my view, the party leadership including Arvind Kejriwal should step down, and new role holders elected with consent from core AAP leaders. Candidates, state convenors, key workers should be consulted. Perhaps Arvind Kejriwal may still get elected as National convenor, but he should step down and be considered on the basis of merit.
When I suggested this on Twitter, many were of the opinion that there are no other suitable leaders. This, incidentally is the argument both BJP and Congress had for never looking beyond Modi and Rahul Gandhi. If AAP is a people’s movement without people’s leaders, then it probably should forget about being a National Party. But I don’t think that is the case, just like it isn’t with the Congress party. There are leaders, if the party is willing to look beyond the usual suspects. There is also nothing preventing existing leaders to come back in their roles with the agreement of the party, but that democracy must be enacted before it is claimed for the country.
This opportunity should also be used to step back from the Nationwide hurry to expand (since it is a lot of time before another national election now) and a more robust organization should be built, with more leaders and role holders nominated so that mistakes of this election are not repeated in the Assembly elections to follow.
Role holders cannot be selected for inspiration alone. You need better strategists, better students of policy, thinkers, workers, leaders, organizers….. Arvind Kejriwal cannot be everything. Part of his failure also was he was doing too much to sustain. It simply was not possible for one person to do with any efficiency, and there appeared to be no one else. It is time the party grew to decentralize responsibility that converges on the goals rather than people and the goals need to be revisited as well. Does the journey so far indicate need to drop anything, add anything, refine something?
This defeat should be a lesson, if Aam Aadmi Party is to live up to its name. The people need to know exactly what they will get, and accusations of corruptions against parties and business houses ain’t it. AAP needs to see where their talk of Swaraj moved to Ambani and Adani. When their talk of distance from communal politics became about kudrat ka karishma and eeshwar, allah, wahe guru. AAP needs to find itself.
I used to say this often, before stopping making suggestions when they stopped being taken. AAP cannot afford to get derailed. AAP has an agenda to represent people and take up their fundamental needs as a political agenda. That cannot be deviated from, for God, religion, community, scam, political targets or anything, if AAP has to survive.
But then that is a decision for you to take as a party. As an observer who has often stood shoulder to shoulder with your volunteers, I can only say what it looks like from where I am standing.
If the tall claims and nationwide reach and big talk hadn’t happened, I do think 4 MPs is a good start. In any case, it always beats not having any MPs in Parliament.
But if Aam Aadmi Party is not to be a one night wonder, brutal as it sounds, it needs to go back to the basics and build up from there again.
Good luck, and I hope we walk together again, if I see Aam Aadmi Party, a worthy party being discriminated against by media and feel compelled to raise my voice to resist the imbalance.
Vidyut
Delhites need and deserve:
A GOVERNMENT VOID OF ANY PAST OR PRESENT CORRUPTION WITH ITS OWN POLICE FORCE WHERE DELHITES OR AAM AADAMI can take decisions for the welfare of his immediate community or simply speaking SWARAJ.
1. Fluid and well developed mass transit system in the city.
2. Safe atmosphere and environment for healthy spaced living.
3. Steady employment.
4. Good educational facilities without outrageous costs attached.
5. Adequate accommodation, food, water and electricity at reasonable costs.
AAP can deliver such a goverment provided they play it right and don’t repeat past mistakes.
The concerns and comments by Viduyt and Akriti are really noteworthy and quite well considered. In order to gain toe- hold in Delhi elections, which , will be announced sooner than we think, AK must go back in the Delhi Ring with his best team with a message ” you saw what we did in 49 days, give us one more chance we will bring our agenda back in force and this time we will consult with you every step of the way “. Delhi people voted for MODI as Prime Minister and not Chief Minister of Delhi. I am confident, if AAP does all the right things, DELHITES Want AAP BACK IN DELHI.
Another point which all AAP members should practice restraint while dealing with the press.One statement from AK made whole media spilling venom against AAP or most of them simply blacked out AAP
Wonderful thought,straight and to the point. Clean politics free from criminality has been motto behind the strategy of AAP leadership.AAP has different approach in the sense that it doesnot prefer electoral victory thats why its top leaders didnt prefer safe seat.Its politics is different in that its leaders used common means equipped with principles strange to current political system like honest and moneyless campaigning.In the current scenario, I think the public opinion was more in favour of better governance coupled with stability for which they had an option.They decided to experiment with smaller devil than going for unknown angel. I think the assembly elections will be different from LS and AAP has pretty good chance
Vidyut ji,
1. You have raised very valid questions here. I always love reading your posts and find them very relevant.
2. Agree with you that to loose AAP movement will be really unfortunate.
3. Now coming to why we got just 4 seats.
a. It’s no mean achievement considering that we are raw and we hardly have any resources.
b. This is not Mahatma Gandhi’s India anymore, virtues of honesty etc once cherished do not have the same appeal as before. Sadly. People want a decent living and they want to be prosperous. Corruption is an issue but perhaps we have learned to live with it.
c. We do not play with the same rules as BJP, SP, BSP, eta all and Cong do. We go door to door, but established parties go where it matters. They go to people who can convince other people to vote for them. They have no qualms about fielding criminals, about tying up with any other regional players who matter or buying them altogether. They have no qualms about distributing liquor, buying votes by giving freebies etc.
So in other words its like playing a game in full body plaster. It’s our raw appeal also honest, clean, no criminals, no abuse of money or power, but sadly it’s also a serious handicap.
4. What can we do now?
a. Start fresh.
Analyse but dont ‘over’ analyse. SP won hands down in UP just a year or so back but drew a virtual blank in LS. They have large grassroots organization, big vote bank, likewise BSP, but see the result. It happens.
b. Identify states with strong incumbency and dismal opposition.
Start building there first. After Delhi, Punjab is perhaps our best bet. U.P, Gujarat are bad ideas at this point of time. Haryana, Maharashtra have potential but not that promising.
c. Wait for our time.
People have short memories. Euphoria eventually dies down and anti- incumbency sets in. Congress are good in this. They lie low until they see an opening. And when they do they are quite effective. We saw that in 2004.
d. Look for allies.
Although difficult to find with our set of expected values. But still there will some. Allies help us reach more people in a short time. Need of the hour.
e. Find ways to raise funds.
Of course legal ways only.
f. Urgently get hold of a good PR partner.
See what APCO did to Modi. It took them 10 years, but it did work.
g. Enter the Media.
Perhaps very important nowadays is to have newspapers (regional first) who are pro AAP.
BJP has many. Dainik Jagran is a classic case.
f.
Vidyut,
I don’t see it as complete defeat if there are things such as old politics and new politics. In fact, NDA sweep cannot be explained entirely using the terminology of old politics, a mixture of that and new politics terminology may be more appropriate. If corruption was in issue in this election it was IAC and later AAP that started the discourse. The BJP with its own baggage of tainted leaders such as Yeddyurappa was not in a position to single out UPA. It piggy-backed on AAP’s anti-graft movement. But unbelievably biased media,represented it the other way. Undoubtedly, the partisan attitude media was one of the key factors that altered the course of the election.
It is no secret that all of these media outlets are corporate-owned and were working as per instructions (though the leaked video showing Arvind make statement about jailing some mediawallas if voted, may have irked individual journalists)
However,from the beginning, it seems corporate sector broke away from the tradition of putting eggs in both baskets and instead chose to put everything everything in team Modi basket. What could have prompted this ? My guess (even if weak) is that the way AAP attacked Ambanis and Adanis, any non-BJP,non-Congress government with sizeable number of AAP MPs could have caused serious damage to them. I don’t think, Mamata Banerjee or Jayalalitha or Naveen Patnaik would have been as congenial with them.
Modi’s campaign was perhaps the most well crafted election campaign ever in history of democracy. From caste equations to cutting edge marketing strategy and techniques such as broadcasting subliminal messages through seemingly neutral sources,applying latest findings in the fields of social psychology and social dynamics. And then there were RSS cadre, fully enthused and motivated unlike previous election. My point is, in a campaign that decimated Congress and nearly all major parties, can you call defeat of a brand new party, contesting election solely on the strength of volunteers, and dictating political discourse, a horrendous defeat ?
We are living in the rocket age but when it comes to electoral politics you have to plan years ahead. Fielding candidates all across has created a loose network of party workers all across India. It had absolutely no base anywhere except Delhi. AAP doesn’t fund candidates and has a pretty rigorous process for nomination (for Lok Sabha candidates). So building based after election wouldn’t work or may attract opportunists. Regardless of the result, it now has network in around 450 LS constituency. If even half of them work for the people next 5 years, chances are high especially in rural areas. Its much like Open Source Movement, the source code is “Swaraj” and its for the local chapters to work for people, collect funds etc.
Apart from that I agree with you,in electoral rhetorics there have been deviation from what AAP’s chosen path seems to have been. Shazia Ilmi’s apocryphal statement might have done more damage than Amit Shah’s call for consolidation of Jat votes. .
Finally, on the positive side, having contested in other parts of India (not just Delhi) the leaders now have comprehensive experience on political dynamics of different regions . IMO an area that really needs attention is dissemination of information
I don’t think it is about old and new politics. It is about AAP leadership and lack of anticipation of impact. This is a consistent problem right from the start – each time AAP has suffered a blow, it has been caught with own claims or reckless words more than anything.
That media was biased was a given. AAP knew this well and condemned it often. But they failed to strategize around it. To get around media would take more manpower. More feet on the ground. Instead it chose to spread resources thin, and where they did concentrate them, they took on the toughest fights. It was a total failure of strategy, which was done with the objective of grand stands more than leveraging resources to get the best out of circumstances.
If we are speaking of old politics and new politics, AAP was newer. Its original line had come on the tail of a nationwide movement and had been very well received by the people. What happened was the same problem that happened during the Jan Lokpal Andolan as well. Where one victory did not lead to consolidation, but ambitious expansions that lost the public interest. The movement was indeed going very strong till Anna got into the campaigning against candidates, and children’s talent shows and what not. Here as well, the credibility they earned on corruption fighting was not consolidated and instead got lost in the whole new set of communal fighting.
There was no strategy to fight communal hate. Only condemnation. That people can do sitting at home too. You cannot take on such a vast topic in an area you don’t have a foothold and expect to get consensus support in a month.
I truly don’t think this is only about a Modi wave. It is about BJP, AAP and Congress being in the limelight. Congress not being acceptable, and AAP failing to invoke trust on what it is up to left pretty much no other name to vote for other than BJP – this is what took BJP from the expectations of 272 for NDA – their own expectations – to where they are. There literally was no one else to vote for if we think of the unthinking masses getting their options from news. Strong regional parties held their ground regardless of media – that is because where there were trusted alternatives to Congress and BJP, they continued to be taken. AAP exited that space.
Vidyut, I am more concerned about the funding. Crowd-funding is not sustainable, IMO, since it depends on euphoria/motivation which is bound to flag now. We need to explore more sources of funding.
Here is a wild idea: Start co-operatives and other ventures. Many s/w engineers (like me) would like to work in a services company (like TCS/Infy) whose profits finance AAP.
Yes this idea of funds generation is good.
Come on guys. We shall admit there was Modi wave and it blew almost everyone.
We need to admit Bjp had very good marketing strategy whereas AAP was using old recorded tapes ‘yeh toh logon ka election hai’
Yes AAP lost it’s direction and fail to give focus on voters. Swaraj didn’t work.
Modi had Gujarat to project as development. Ak didn’t had anything on his report card.
It was anti cong election which Bjp did well to get voters.
The call to have lot and lots of losing candidate or have few happy winning candidate needed to be taken seriously before the fielding this election, which was erred.
AAP made tall claims, they were of breaking news genre instead or working long term.
I still support AAP because I feel corruption is biggest problem this country have. I do believe in ak.
Just that they need to rebuild their strategy and focus.
Indian voter are forgetful and will give another chance if u can show them unrealistic dreams. They will give u chance if u can show some example to them.
What we thought is master stroke that fielding so many candidates actually back fired. Shall not focus on getting majority in delhi reelection but try to get as many as into assembly.
Shall put focus on Punjab and Haryana. Delhi gave us opportunity we didn’t accepted it cleverly. So focus on other states now.
Keep focus on what u want to sell or people to understand. Don’t lose focus. U cannot do caste or religion politics so shall not do.
Modi didn’t wear skull cap, that shows he was focus. We weren’t.
All the best we are with u.
no yaar, Modi wins doesn’t mean he was fresh and using all new strategy,
In sevapuri varansi I found that AK and volunteers directly talked to people without any local intermediatary .People use to gather around him in muhallah sabha , many also use to get influenced by him which would retain for an hour or a half day. But as soon as AK leaves their area, there were people ready to restore the status quo. What we missed is a local intermediatary. These are the people who are gram pradhans, BDC member, Zila panchayat members, or a side kick or “chamcha” of MLA or MP with four wheeler , a rifle, and golden ring in finger..during my campain period, I sometime regreted on our universal adult franchise but my theoretical knowledge tried to convinced me that I am wrong.
Only one thing was comming in my mind , how can we expect ideal democracy when the ground is not ideal ..its like playing cricket on uneven pitch..where blower don’t have control on his ball after first tip and batsman has no idea , wheater it would be outswing , inswing or bouncer.
Idealism is good , but too much idealism ignoring ground realities is just diging your head In sand like ostrich.
The thaught of vidyut and akriti are good I agree to much extent . I would like to share my experience during campaining in sevapuri, varanasi. I found that caste and religion are a big political reality in India. Atleast one of them work at a time. People appreciated our effort and courage but they had there own vested interest invovled in other parties or candidates. Most of the votes of lower caste are being controlled by the political machine. They undrrstood our point but they can neither support nor come in open with us because if they do so their life is going to be difficult. Silent votes were their but silent votes are silent which does not help you to grow exponentialy.
Journey from dec 8 till now have been journey of sudden high and sudden low..now as we have got atleast some presence nationwide we should eliminate this “sudden” element from our characterstics and focus on gradual , step by step moves. Wining state assemblies , municipalities, Zila panchayats and creating a confidence and ground supports. We should try to bring some of thoes local political masters with AAP(as its political reality) and make them stakeholder’s in AAP success.
We cannot afford to make ourself politically irrelevant.
I think your points and suggestions are very valid-a grassroots organization has to be built-this can now be started in all those areas where AAP started its Lok Sabha campaign.Also,I do think the vote share % should not be ignored-there has been significant vote shares in many areas-these can be consolidated and used as a base for the future.Also,a lot depends on how the BJP performs.Hopes and expectations have been raised to levels which I am not sure can be met-there is a possibility that there could be disenchantment soon.We have to wait and see.But AAP should carry on-learn from its experiences and not let a few failures discourage it-afterall,failures can be stepping stones to success.
मुझ जैसे आम आदमी पार्टी के कार्यकर्त्ता , जो पार्टी में स्थापना से शामिल रहा , को यह कहते हुए काफी दुःख हो रहा है की आम आदमी पार्टी ने अपने कार्यकर्ताओं और देश की जनता को रायशुमारी से राजनिति करने का सपना दिखा कर
और फिर
पहले मौके में ही सत्ता हांसिल होने पर आत्म मुग्ध होकर पार्टी नेताओं ने हाई कमांड होने के नशे में पार्टी के खुद के फैसलों में से ही स्वराज की भावना तक को ही त्याग कर आत्म हत्या करने की कोशीश जैसी बेवकूफी की है।
posted as status om
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I do not completely disagree with your views however you see, AAP fighting a national election was itself a start of a movement , it hardly matters the no. of seats they secured (as it was their first nationwide election) as they never had funds which they could have distributed among their candidates. So, at many places because of the monetary problem their campaign lacked the lusture or rather to state …sort of attraction . Every candidate they fielded gave a new alternative to the poll battle but none of their ‘Star Campaigner’ actually came to aid the candidates, partly because of lack of time & partly because of the reason that the demand of party’s top leadership was high in every constituency.You stated right that had Mr. Kejriwal or Dr. Vishwas or anyone had fought from their stronholds we would have managed atleast a few more seats but had they done that ‘ nobody would have gathered the courage to raise their voice against ‘Dynastic Rule’ and the ‘ One Man Egoistic Approach’.It is quite clear that had AAP not fielded Dr. Vishwas from Amethi ,Mr. Gandhi would have won without facing any competition as the BJP was too reluctant to field even a single candidate from the Gandhi’s Stronghold …Mrs.Irani was fielded in a hurry to escape being accused for supporting the Congress.Also in an election where parties like BSP failed to acquire even a single seat AAP managed 4 …think about that!:). Today I can proudly say that because of AAP we Indians challenged dynastic rule like never before,it helped us to dream about a better India where caste and religion is not a voting factor (Something which Cong. ,BJP,SP,BSP ,TMC,AIDMK ,CPI ,CPI-M,MNS ,SHIVSENA etc. failed to promise us) . All the age old political traditions were broken by AAP.
In the end I can only say that “Keep Calm kanna Keep Calm 😛 & support AAP though not blindly “:)
Yes,have faith in ak. — he has been working on ground for years ,while we are infants.
AAP just needs to keep going on.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cleo-paskal/how-secure-are-indias-ele_b_5317788.html?utm_hp_ref=technology&ir
I think this may have something to do with it
luchh lafaang elect hua hai, anne wah, bibba fer reject hua hai anne wah, aur sui mein dhagha daalne wali naukari pe, anna ek select hua hai anne wah!
Agree that AAP spread this and made it personality based. Why did smart people like Kejriwal and YogendraJi gamble? Surely it wasnt a “gamble”. It was well thought out plan and reason behind resignation. There was clearly some bigger game behind this – could be becoming national party, donations, visibility, or even bribe from congress or equivalent to cut the modi wave.
Bhavik,
Your arguments are self defeating. If bribe/blackmailing were the point in time,BJP was the richest and most desperate party to part away Adani amounts to any one to douse its hunger & thirst of 60 years.Your thoughts are simply reflection of BJP thoughts.Thanks for sharing. Now relax
Sorry not agree with ur many points on aap strategies.i can understand ur disappointment.u r right that aap need to do something solid and aap should not be one face party.but u r talking about ‘accusations’ those were reality and have created questions in mind of people.that would be helpful to expose bjp and modi in coming years.We are fighting with powerful billionairs and modi the man who was preparing for this battle from last ten years.
And thats Allah waheguru and spirituality is necessity for the people who are working for nothing….
Thats my point of view .
Who have hope with aap.
Jai hind
Vidyut,
As they say, it takes great courage to stand against your enemies (in this case people one opposes) and even greater to stand against your friends (in this case the people one supports). So by this standard, your post & the concern behind it is laudable.
However (there is always a “however” :)), I would like to say that what you’ve stated is only an opinion & is based on a perception which you have every right to hold. But many, including me, will disagree because we are looking at it differently:
1. Contesting nation-wide was not a bad strategy because in one go we now have ready offices & a team of volunteers in many regions. In Jaipur, this move is going to help us participate with greater force in municipality elections & in building a bigger support base through our volunteers.
2. This move also caused AAP to reach regions where it would otherwise have taken a longer time to reach. And if you see constituency-wise results, in many constituencies it was the 3rd or 4th best party in terms of number of votes. So in a way, a good testing of waters & data-gathering that will be highly useful for future strategy.
3. Most of these nation-wide candidates are now planning to work in their respective constituencies which could only mean good things, not just for AAP.
4. The “damage done to AAP” will depend on how these results are positioned. It is not just that AAP was low on resources in absolute sense, its opponents were spending a lo-oh-ot! Not to forget the negative publicity. So the damage would be greater of we go out & admit defeat in a situation where haven’t actually been defeated, rather than identifying vote-shares in all the 400+ constituencies and traying to retain & increase it.
5. As for party leadership, there is one face behind which people are uniting. You have to consider the acceptability of the leader among the volunteers. And his vision. A new leader, who will take time gaining the same popularity among supporters most of whom are confident of AK’s ‘incorruptible’ moral compass, will be skeptical of any new leader, and in sensitive times such as these, that will be a suicidal step for the party which will undoubtedly fragment if AK is replaced. Everytime there are multiple leaders at second-in-command positions, and only one of them is made 1st-in-command, there is dissatisfaction among those who were left out & many walk their own way. At best, the party can have state-leaders to handle the party affairs in a particular state as they are already working on in the form of an organization structure now.
6. Swaraj was not the only issue AAP had raised, corruption was another major one. There was no move “from” something to Ambani-Adani, they were very much significant factors in the fight against corruption.
7. I forgot to mention earlier while talking about fighting from so many seats, in addition to volunteers, it was also a great recruitment drive for local leaders in all those parts.
But I agree with the need to self-evaluate & unnecessary harping on gods & rivers. If we are a class apart, we should remain that.
Hopefully, with the right kind of advisers, strategists, volunteers, critics, leaders & opportunities, AAP will manage to achieve what it sought to. For now 4 MP’s, increased political awareness among public, identification of awesome local leaders, impact on political conduct of many big leaders, and many such small but meaningful gains are a matter of celebration for the optimistic-me. 🙂
Until next time,
Akriti
I do hope you are right. What I see here is all of Delhi seats lost, regardless of voter share, which doesn’t remain in public perceptions. BJP will call for elections in three months and when AAP starts campaigning, the police will be controlled by BJP, when BJP is also the greatest physical and political threat to it. If AAP had retained Delhi, forming a government would still be easier, because people would have a continuity. Instead, the “Bhadoda AAP” narrative did more damage when Kejriwal also didn’t contest from there and moved on to the next big thing. Not just that, BJP winning a clean majority means that the original reasons AAP resigned are even stronger now. BJP ain’t gonna allow a Janlokpal who can judge Modi, RTI into political parties that can ask for his election campaign expenses, and more. BJP Is also going to block things on principle because it can. It has used stalling as a technique to prevent the government from functioning successfully as well. So basically, AAP will also struggle to promise things to people that it can actually deliver, while BJP can casually say they’ll make Delhi police under Delhi govt and make it happen and people know that.
Of course nothing is impossible, but reckless leadership has done a lot of harm to AAP in my view.
BJP will not wait for 3 months for delhi elections anymore. Already Vijay Goel has said today that BJP and Delhi are ready for repoll immediately. So thinking BJP will wait will be another failure from AAP.
Also, AAP needs to clearly articulate what all things they want to do in Delhi, other than Janlokpal Bill, which I don’t see a possibility very soon.
And AAP somehow has to find a wayout to stop these bogus candidates and similar looking symbols (which cut more than 50k for Jarnail singh today).
This is my fear as well. For the moment I drew solace from Yogendra Yadav’s press statement that they will be sure to communicate their willingness to receive suggestions from people, and that one reason for poor performance in Delhi was that people were voting for the PM this time for which they did not see AAP as an alternative, but for CM elections maybe the equations will be different.
With all his good intentions, undoubtedly AK is still in the process of maturing as a leader & public figure. Let’s hope his learning curve & his advisers contribute to an improved state-of-affairs.
Lets hope good sense prevails. 🙂
agree with u
Agree with u Vidyut. But one encouraging thing abt Delhi was that AAP was 2nd in all seats after sharing the same voter profile with non-BJP parties.Next local election if all cong votes consolidate in AAP favour ,the story will be different and its most likely to happen at state and local levels bcoz people found a more viable option for LS elections.
AAP USP is still intact-the clean and accountable governance.BJP is just a stop gap arrangement, a change of face.
So AAP is here to stay via patience and go on