3/31/2015

Electoralvictory,politicaldefeatTheHindu

OpinionEditorial
Published:March31,201502:26IST|Updated:March31,201505:25IST

Electoralvictory,politicaldefeat
FortheAamAadmiPartywhichclaimstherationaleforitsverybeingisusheringinmoredemocraticandtransparent
governance,thecurrenttroublesatthetoplevelsoftheleadershippresentanexistentialthreat.WhileDelhiChief
MinisterandnationalconvenerofthepartyArvindKejriwalwasabletoeasilywinsupportwhereitimmediately
matteredamongtheMLAsinDelhiandamongthemembersofthenationalexecutivetheissuesraisedbythe
dissidentduoofPrashantBhushanandYogendraYadavwouldnotgoawayquickly.WhattheAAPseesasproblemsin
theIndianpoliticalsystemcorruption,absenceoftransparencyandlackofaccountabilitynowseemverymucha
partofitsownself.AseriesofexposshaveshownuptheAAPassufferingfromtheveryillsitattacksinotherparties.
Fromhorsetradingandgivingthepartytickettopersonsofdubiousbackgroundtoautocraticdecisionmakingand
suppressingdissent,theAAPappearssusceptibletoallthediseasesplaguingIndiaspoliticalsystem.Insteadofthe
AAPchangingthepoliticalsystem,thepoliticalsystemseemstobeassimilatingtheAAP.Whileallofthesemighthave
increaseditschancesofwinningthepolls,thepartyisslowlymorphingintoanothertypicalIndianparty.Withevery
compromisemadeonitsfoundingprinciples,theAAPbetraysitsoriginalbackers,theyouthandcivilsociety
movementswhoweredisillusionedwiththehithertoexistingpoliticalparties.TheAAPoweditssuccesstothepromise
ofchangethatitcarriedtogiveuponthispromiseistoadmitpoliticaldefeatforthesakeofelectoralvictory.Ifthe
AAPistotrulysucceed,itwouldhavetosucceedonitsownterms,withoutsurrenderingitsoriginalidealsand
crusadingspirit.
Mr.BhushanandMr.YadavmighthavehaddifferentreasonsfortakingonMr.Kejriwal,buttheywereunitedintheir
oppositiontothewaythepartywasbeingrun.True,Mr.Kejriwalisthefaceoftheparty,itsleaderaswellasitsmost
hardworkingmember.Butaleaderwhodoesnotlistentohisfollowerswillsoonbewalkingalone.Asanorganisation
grows,consensusbuildinganddemocraticproceduresmightappeartobecumbersomeandasahindrancetoquick
decisionmakingandworkefficiency.Buttherecanbenoshortcutsforapoliticalpartypushingforsystemicchanges.
Mr.Kejriwalseemstobeoptingforahighlypersonalisedstyleofleadershipandcampaign,andlooksmoreinterested
inquickfixsolutionsthatdonotalwaysallowforthecomplexitiesoftheproblem.Internaldemocracyisintegralto
informeddecisionmakinginanyorganisation.DissentanddissidencemightslowdowntheAAPandMr.Kejriwal,but
theseremainessentialtokeepingthemgoingintherightdirection.
Keywords:AAPrift,YogendraYadav,ArvindKejriwal,PrashantBhushan,AAP,AamAadmiParty
Printableversion|Mar31,20154:00:39PM|
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