In the average Indian’s memory, a year is remembered by the one landmark event that occurred in that year. 2011 will be the year that India won the World Cup at home.
It was around that time, timed perfectly after the World Cup that the Anna Hazare movement began.
I was skeptical of it from the beginning.
I was skeptical of the campaign for a variety of reasons. Personally, I don’t agree with the method of fast-unto-death. I’m sure it was what Gandhi used, but in the hands of a lunatic, it is a dangerous method to employ. Also, it is the lazier way out. Instead of working towards something, you sit on your ass all day like a cry-baby till someone hears you out.
And having read up on Anna’s methods in the village Ralegaon Siddhi, I was of the belief that the means are as important as the ends.
*
The best part about being a student, is not having to pay monthly rent. The second best part is that you can spend quality time on Facebook.
Around the year 2011, Facebook rose above the other sites that the average Indian surfed. The word ‘Social Networking’ was thrown around – giving it an important feel. Showing us that being on Facebook was more profound than stalking girls, and adding ‘Turn Ons – Lightning’ on Orkut.
I spent hours debating about topics, made a few friends and pissed a few people of.
On why I didn’t support the campaign, and why it was mass emotional masturbation, and it won’t really lead to anything constructive if we go on candle marches. You can’t change a political situation by protesting, I said, it has to be institutional.
I also wrote a blog on my views. And it was around this time that I realised that a blog is more than just an online journal. That people are affected by the written word.
Since I was on the other side of the fence, Anna Hazare was easy to pick on. He suggested methods like hanging the corrupt, and beating up people who drink alcohol. But when people asked me what I thought of Kejriwal, I had no answer. Kejriwal stayed away from the rhetoric, and was spending time giving lectures and asking youngsters to vote.
He spoke about going through an institutional method than an emotional one.
*
It’s been two years, and much has happened since the time Anna Hazare went on his fast, and Baba Ramdev wore a salwar-pyjama, complete with a white dupatta. There was the Delhi Gangrape, Tendulkar retired, Tejpal’s career came down in a lift, films released and earned 100’s of crores.
And quietly, Kejriwal was going about his business.
When he floated a political party on October 2nd last year, I remember thinking ‘Better late than never’. He also gave it a spectacular name. The name Aam Aadmi Party is a masterstroke in two ways, as a bureaucrat I work for pointed out to me. Firstly, the Congress won it’s last two terms on the plank of the ‘Aam Aadmi ka Party’. They won’t dare repeat that this time. Also, political parties that have long been dynastic dens, will think twice before claiming to work for the Common Man. Also, the acronym adds up to AAP, making it a party that belongs to YOU.
And who could have thought of a better election symbol?
Not since Harry Potter did a broom have such an immense impact on people! The image is loaded with meaning, and leaves no doubt about it’s intentions!
Come to think of it, the other election symbols don’t really convey anything. What does a right hand mean? And a lotus? Or worse still, a bicycle. But a Broom; now that’s a masterstroke!
I watched on, following the party through their activities – being accused, and accusing, organizing rallies, calling the government corrupt, going about the motions.
And somehow, Anna Hazare seemed to have problems with Kejriwal. Personally, I am glad Anna isn’t a part of the Aam Aadmi Party – his means being unconstitutional, and his pull being an emotional rather than an institutional one. The fallout between Anna and Kejriwal proved that this man was fine with going separate paths from the biggest crowd-puller.
And through the campaign, there were three things that Kejriwal did differently:
1. Candidates:
Instead of a bunch of morons who came out of the scrotum of another politician, the Aam Aadmi Party fielded candidates who were enthusiastic, were from the middle or lower middle class, and who did not need to have police protection behind them – twisting the concept of a neta on its head.
2. Issues, not Emotions
This was perhaps the most heartening. For the first time, there was someone talking about bijli, paani, and sadak. I am sick of politicians talking about communities, about regions, and picking at each other.
Rahul Gandhi seems like the spoilt Headmaster’s son, rambling about whatever comes to his mind. Modi, whose campaign began on the development plank, spends more time criticizing the Congress – like the bully of the class.
Amidst such cacophony, were people who were going from door to door, speaking to people about things that really matter. Ram or Allah will not come to your house and give you electricity. They have bigger issues, even though I cant see what they seem to be doing about it.
3. Manifesto
For the first time, there was some thought being given to a manifesto. The party had customized manifestoes for each of the constituencies – picking issues that affected the local people – instead of a please-all, VegFriedRice-PaneerButterMasala sort of solution.
The other thing about the Aam Aadmi Party’s campaign was for the first time, I was witnessing an entire campaign revolving around issues, and nothing else. For all of Modi’s erudition, and Rahul Gandhi’s bluntness, one always gets an inkling of references to caste, religion and region. Here, there was no mention of any such thing.
And then, it was time for the battle.
*
Now, the best part about being a cynic is that you’re never disappointed.
If something happens, you can simply shrug your shoulders and say, “I told you so!”. I waited to see what would come of the entire exercise.
So when I saw the results of the Delhi Assembly elections, it was hard not to sit up and take notice.
To get a realistic feel of what the victory means, have a look at some of the candidates who won this time.
80-year-old, four-time Congress legislator, Chaudhary Prem Singh, who had not lost a single election over the past 50 years in his Ambedkar Nagar constituency, was defeated by AAP’s new entrant Ashok Kumar by 16,000 votes and ended up in the third spot.
Kumar was followed by BJP candidate Khushi Ram Chunar who lost to him by a margin of 11,670 votes.
AAP candidate Rakhi Birla defeated four-time Congress MLA and Public Works Department Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan by a margin of 10,585 votes in in Mangolpuri.
Three-time winner, Congress candidate Veer Singh Dhingan was beaten by Dharmender Singh of AAP by a margin of 11,976 votes.
In Bawana, AAP candidate Manoj defeated last assembly poll’s winner Surender Kumar of Congress and won against Gugan Singh of BJP by 25,639 votes.
Prakash from AAP also made a record of sorts by garnering maximum votes from Deoli constituency (51,646) defeating BJP (34,538) and Congress (26,140) by huge margins.
Manoj Kumar of AAP also wrote history by defeating Congress party’s heavyweight candidate, MLA Amrish Singh Gautam in Kondli.
He also beat BJP candidate Dushyant Kumar Gautam by a margin of 7,490 votes in Kondli.
Source: Economic Times. http://goo.gl/S0VkSp
This could be Beginner’s Luck, of course.
Also, I understand that replicating something like this on the national scale is a different ball game. It’s true that in a few years, there will be some black sheep in this party too.
But what Kejriwal achieved on 8th December shows that it is possible.
Aam Aadmi Party’s success needs to be spoken about. And hailed.
To float a party, appoint newbie candidates, campaign for issues, and beat the biggies in their game.
Aam Aadmi Party might not go on to become a major political force, but it gives one hope, that it is possible.
So for all the hatred, and the snide remarks I passed. And all the supporters of Anna that I called morons and dimwits:
Here I am. I have taken off my Kavacha and Kundala. And I bow down and fold my hands and say.
“Good job, mate!”
Heartranjan's Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.