Yesterday, Arvind Kejriwal lost the
milestone opportunity by playing a la Congress in staying atop all platforms of
the Aam Aadmi Party.
with it, the next step in the
journey to the metamorphosis of becoming the routine Indian politician of the
day was taken by him yesterday.
The signs that Kejriwal aspired
to adore his image outreach shadowing all and that he wanted to maintain a
tight grip on the political outfit he launched along with many others from the
Anna Hazare led anti-corruption movement of 2011 was clearly visible in his
first stint of 49 days that he later self-aborted.
Delhi was then inundated with
oversized publicity displays of Kejriwal, like every other politician does, the
very politicians who Kejriwal derided day in, day out. In fact, in doing so, he
had surpassed even her predecessor, Sheila Dikshit.
It was not at all expected from a
common man, risen from a movement to seek respite for common men, to go
uncommon the way every common man detested.
With his 'apology outreach' for
'deserting Delhi in just 49 days' and the BJP's relative non-performance in
Delhi that was under the Central rule after Kejriwal's resignation, he roared
back to the power in Delhi with a rare mandate, with the AAP winning 67 of the
70 assembly seats.
It was expected this time that he
would respect the mandate given to him by the 'common man' by staying a 'common
man' - millions of this country oppressed under manipulative elements of its
functional democracy who see their lives eclipsed regularly.
Yes, it cannot be said that he
has failed our expectations.
But it will not be premature if
we say that within a month, hostile signs have started emerging on the horizon
beyond which lies a political oblivion for Arvind Kejriwal, the activist who
became a politician.
The signs, if further continued,
will tell us the activist was left somewhere in a 'nowhere zone' by the
politician in Kejriwal and was never looked back at.
The reports that Arvind Kejriwal
stage managed ouster of the two senior most founder members of the Aam Aadmi
Party, Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, from one of its apex decision
making bodies, the political affairs committee, are ominous for those 'common
man' hopes as they tell Arvind Kejriwal is well on the way to become 'uncommon'
for them.
The kind of penchant for public
display as visible during his first term has already found its extension with
his second term in the office. And since the mandate is absolute and is for
five years, we are going to see more and more of Arvind Kejriwal on nooks and
corners of the Indian National Capital.
Also, he has shown no inhibitions
like the last time. He was hooted for opting a luxurious accommodation and had
to make a U-turn. Some of his ministers were in news for their 'VVIP-ness'. This
time, the baggage is efficiently discarded. He is moving to an official
bungalow. His ministers are following the suit with availing facilities that
are routine.
Now, only time will tell if the
removal of these symbolic 'tenets', that are hugely appealing electorally as
they connect directly to the 'common man sentiments', are going to have any
functional value.
For the moment, the developments
tell us again that Arvind Kejriwal had different plans of graduating to a full
time 'mainstream politician' once he got the much needed lease of political
life again. His prospects were badly hit after he left Delhi the last time and
he needed a decisive mandate to start all over again.
And a 'more than decisive
mandate' he got.
Yes, we cannot say so early that
he has failed us.
But, the signs of a 'politician
with a mainstreamed thinking' acting 'the common man' way for some 'purpose'
that were visible even during his first term, have certainly got 'telling'
manifestations now.
Anyone speaking against him, no
matter how senior that colleague is, is shunted or is forced to find his way
out of the party. No one in the AAP can question Arvind Kejriwal without facing
repercussions. The party has seen exodus of many big names in the last one
years. They were either disenchanted as they felt the party was on a wrong way
or they felt suffocated with the lack of internal democracy.
'It's Kejriwal's way or the
highway in the AAP' has become a routine source of political discourse centred
on the two year old party.
And such developments tell the
AAP is on the way to become a one-man party and Kejriwal is in the line to
follow the politicians running one-man parties as their family empires.
Its Kejri_all so far - the signs so far
tell us so.