This was the worst of the Aam Aadmi Party
we saw today - and the spate of debacles is scheduled to see a downward spiral
from here - because the writing on the wall says so.
The AAP fully metamorphosed today into a
mainstream political party the preparation of which were underway for many
days, especially after the rare victory in the Delhi assembly polls when the
party won 67 out of 70 seats.
There was no hurry this time, unlike that
shown during the first term of 49 days, the first term which, combined with
Congress' fall and the BJP's developmental void, made the AAP win so
impressive. We did not see appeals for sting operations like we saw the last
time. Houses and vehicles in VIP facilities are taken promptly. VIP culture is in vogue with separate lanes.
The police and corrupt are not scared like the last time. And so on.
Like a typical mainstream political party,
the AAP took the reins of the power on the same date when it had deserted Delhi
and chosen the same venue to mark its comeback - the Ramlila Ground.
And it made no tall promises on the day and
the 'many day afters' after it.
In fact, Arvind Kejriwal now says that if
his government fulfils even 40-50% of the promises made, it would be enough.
And today, the politician in him crossed
even the threshold that we expected from the political lot which used to be the
main target of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP when he was promising us the sky. the
politician in him chose to speak even if a man was dying today.
A farmer committed suicide during the
launch rally of the AAP over the anti-land acquisition ordinance protests but Arvind Kejriwal and his partymen kept on
speaking, demanding from the Delhi Police that they come and rescue the man.
What a rubbish!
He should have left speaking and should
have rushed himself to the spot. The rally should have only one concern then -
the man, who was dying. But he did equally opposite to it.
Even the mainstream politicians would not
do such a thing - a mistake where a man lost his life and where humanity died
once again and where even the mainstream politicians would act humanely.
But Arvind Kejriwal and his partymen were
busy in sifting through and shifting the blame, to the Delhi Police, and to
other politicians. He was busy criticising the BJP government's land acquisition
ordinance, Congress' land acquisition bill and the Delhi Police on the delay in
saving the man.
He kept on speaking. Even after the man was
taken to the hospital where doctors declared him 'brought dead'.
He was to go the hospital after his
volunteers had taken the man to the hospital but the doctors declared him
brought dead and mysteriously, after knowing so, after wrapping up the speech,
he didn't go to the hospital.
Seeing the political potential of the
issue, every political party jumped into the issue including Rahul Gandhi. It
is good to see Rahul Gandhi trying his hand on political issues because a
strong opposition is need of the day.
But today, Kejriwal got worse. He fielded
his spokesmen even if his party was to share the blame for the death of a man irrespective
of his background.
And we see a pattern there.
The good looking and sensible spokespersons
of the AAP are out and they are replaced
by the spokesmen doing the politicise of the day Kejriwal style. Their
only brief is - Kejriwal and the AAP are always right and they cannot make any
mistake - and they believe in the dictum of 'by hook or by crook'.
Like a mainstream politician, Arvind
Kejriwal is assured, insured and secured by the electoral mandate that gives
him fives year in the office that began on February 14, 2015 only.
And down the line two months only, he has
got rid of all those who could pose a threat to his political career. He has
got Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Admiral Ramdas and others expelled from
the AAP. Other eminent names have already left the party as they felt alienated
by the its changing ways. For them, it was no longer a political party with
political activism in its blood.
Arvind Kejriwal now has full five years in
Delhi and he intends to enjoy it politically with a clear turf.
And who cares for after five years - the
day then - certainly not the politician from the lot who happen to be the main
target when Kejriwal had begun his political career.
For the Kejriwal of the moment, it doesn't
matter if he is not going to be back after five years - the writing on the wall
says.