Believe it or not, Kejriwal has spun a great game to show his powerful position and escape all the deadlocks which could have lowered AAP’s credibility.
Believe it or not, Kejriwal has spun a great game to show his powerful position and escape all the deadlocks which could have lowered AAP’s credibility.
Understanding his party’s position – which is of a kingmaker in Delhi – Kejriwal has created a plot which will not only see a government formation based on AAP’s idealism, it will also see AAP deciding each and every aspect of the government too.
Barely 12 hours ago, the Aam Aadmi Party had been trumpeting its stance of not giving or taking support either from Bhartiya Janata Party or Congress to form the government in Delhi. Its leader Kejriwal was adamant on forcing another election on the people who chose it over any other party and made it victorious in 28 assembly seats.
This was based on the fact that the part was running on idealism. AAP could have lost its credibility had it joined hands with Congress whose leader Rahul Gandhi was promising unconditional support, and BJP which was ready to give issue based support. The reason being that AAP’s whole campaign was based on thrashing these two parties on counts of corruption and bad governance.
When Lt Governor Najeep Jung received a ‘no’ from BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Dr. Harsh Vardhan for forming government, he invited Kejriwal to discuss the same with him. Everyone was waiting for Kejriwal to meet Jung and clear the air on fate on Delhi.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas infused hope among the people that the party may decide to form the government if popular demand for the same exists in the party meeting that was being held at Kejriwal’s residence. Reportedly, AAP was even considering taking Congress support for its promise of ‘unconditional support’.
What transpired in the meeting at Kejriwal’s residence became clear today when he briefed media after meeting Lt Governor.
Kejriwal informed the media that he had asked ten days’ time from the Lt Governor for forming government in the state. He also said that he has written a letter to both the Congress and BJP laying the terms and conditions for taking their support. The letter has been addressed to Congress high command Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Rajnath Singh.
“We have written a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in which we have mentioned that we never sought support from Congress then why are they speaking of extending us unconditional support? They must be wanting something else from us, nothing comes free,” he said.
“We have demanded from Rajnath Singh and Sonia Gandhi that they express their views on 16 issues mentioned in the letter first after which we will decide on our options,” he further added.
1) No VIP security, no government bungalow, no VIP culture
2) No MLA, Councillor funds
3) Janlokpal for Delhi
4) Investigation of scams
5) Audit of power companies and reduction of power rates in Delhi
6) Investigation of power meters by independent agency
7) Full statehood for Delhi
8) Action on water mafia
9) Regularization of unauthorised colonies within 1 yr
10) Rehabilitation of Jhuggis
11) Regularization of MCD employees
12) Simplification of VAT
13) Villages
14) Women Security
15) Education
16) Health
Kejriwal said that their replies will be made public and then AAP will decide on government formation in Delhi. The parties have been given seven days to file their replies.
This letter for ‘conditional’ support indicates how Kejriwal is playing the game of getting away with laurels even if he forms the government siding with the corrupt. Also, if either of the parties concede with his letter, he will show it as a win of the idealism that they claim to be the core of their party.
It is fact that barring few in his party, Kejriwal’s band is full of inexperienced and less educated people who may not be able to run the government. Sitting in opposition may have given them the required education in politics and also made them more familiar with the political procedures.
This would have been the most pressing issue behind them not wanting to form the government other than the fact that siding with either BJP or Congress must have resulted in loss of popular faith in them.
But the solution that Kejriwal has found in the form of his prime position in the political scenario of Delhi is playing to his advantage. Sending the letters to BJP and Congress is a masterstroke which will see to it that their credibility remains intact.
Whatever his critics may say, Kejriwal has proved that he is the biggest game player.
