Last month results of the assembly elections in five states in India were declared, and most results were as expected except for the result of India's national capital New Delhi, A rookie party AAP came second. Surprisingly, it won 28 seats, only 8 short of getting an absolute majority in a 70-member assembly. Their phenomenal success surprised many, including me. I expected some impact from AAP, but unexpectedly they created a huge impact, so huge that now there is a government by AAP managing the administration of Delhi. During that election I did one thing that I never do during any election, I openly supported AAP. I endorsed this party openly and even campaigned for them via phone calls to Delhi voters. This was the first time I campaigned for any political party directly. I voted many times during various elections (state, national, municipal) in India, I voted for different parties in different elections. I am not a supporter or member of any single political party, my choice was based on the situation and need of that time. During local elections, I voted for the Shivsena candidate even though I didn't agree with many of their policies or their ideology. I voted for them just because their local candidate was really helpful and supportive of our entire neighborhood. Likewise, I chose different parties in different elections (state or national). I was impressed by the honesty and youthfulness of Rajiv when he entered politics, VP Singh's anti-corruption drive attracted me, Manmohan Singh's economic policies after 1991 created a lot of change and hope, and Vajpayee's honesty and sincerity impressed me, but I also didn't like or disagreed with many things related to the governments headed by each of these leaders. I had really high hopes for Manmohan Singh as PM of India, not every time I was right or my expectations were fulfilled but I was never (and still I am not) a fan of any one political leader or party. I support a good candidate or policy, it doesn't matter from which party they come. There are some basic principles on which I will never compromise but apart from them, governance is the key issue that I consider while voting. So, why did I decide to support AAP this time? What made me to change my stand of not supporting any party openly, why I didn't keep my political inclination a private affair this time?
During every election campaign, all parties promise so many things that they never even try to fulfill. They try to field winnable candidates, and they even field candidates with very questionable backgrounds just because they have the power and capacity to fight and win elections. Every major political (state or national) party does these things there are very no exceptions to this. From the beginning, AAP was different than all of them. First, they declared their all funding sources and amounts, and everything was available online for anyone to check. To date, no other political party in India has done this. It seems they have too much to hide, AAP was the first to do it. AAP was also the first party to disqualify their candidate from their party when they found some corruption charges against that candidate. They did this even after the deadline of withdrawing nominations expired. This was again a unique step. With actions like these, they showed their uniqueness and transparency from the beginning. All these things were enough for me to believe in their sincerity. I don't agree with some of their populist policies, and I am even not sure if they will live up to all expectations, but at least they are trying sincerely and that's the main reason I support them. I am also not expecting any overnight change, it will be a very long and difficult battle with many ups and downs. In the past many parties that came out of some movement and claimed to work to deliver social justice surrendered to the current political system and became an integral part of it once they got power. They didn't even try to change the system but became part of the system. Now they all are busy navigating their way to the top using the same old techniques and methods. AAP didn't do this, at least not yet, and this is what made me support them.
This was the first time I felt that any political party in India was not playing politics of caste and religion during the election., This was the first time that some party talked about overall system reforms not just an empty promise of good governance. As Amir Khan said in one of his interviews this was for the first time when some party promised not to offer a good rule but to act as people's representative and execute what people want. This was the first time that any party did a referendum to ask people whether they should form a government with the outside support of the party against which they fought the election. This party seems to care what people like me think, they seem to listen to our demands. They didn't go and settle in VIP culture after getting elected. They look very accessible and approachable. For the first time people seem to have the power to challenge the government, ask questions, demand action and pull it down if they don't like their work. For the first time, any CM has to change his official residence because many people disapprove of his choice. Many see this incident as a weakness and lack of leadership for me it was walking the talk (their promise that people are in charge). For the first time, ministers declined the security cover (however personally I feel this is unnecessary). For the first time, ministers won't travel in cars with red beacons. Some politicians practiced many of these things individually but for the first time, any political party included these things in their rule book and followed it. For me these things are enough to show that currently this party is different than many others out there and as long as they remain different, and don't deviate from their path I will support them. The day they deviate from their path, engage in the same old tactics, or become corrupt I will be the first to criticize and oppose them because my support is not blind and unconditional. I am not a devotee but just a supporter who is with them to build a great and prosperous nation.
I am waiting for the day when all other parties will become totally transparent in their activities and funding, field clean candidates, try to fulfill their election promises, and if the presence of AAP forces them to do this then I think this will be the greatest contribution by AAP to Indian politics. If this happens then uniqueness of AAP will diminish and every other party will become like AAP, and there will be competition to provide honest and noncorrupt governance to people and that will be a true democracy. I am waiting for that day. I hope AAP stays on its path till then if it deviates or changes its direction drastically it will lose the support of me and many people like me, this might happen as nothing is guaranteed but as always I am optimistic.
During every election campaign, all parties promise so many things that they never even try to fulfill. They try to field winnable candidates, and they even field candidates with very questionable backgrounds just because they have the power and capacity to fight and win elections. Every major political (state or national) party does these things there are very no exceptions to this. From the beginning, AAP was different than all of them. First, they declared their all funding sources and amounts, and everything was available online for anyone to check. To date, no other political party in India has done this. It seems they have too much to hide, AAP was the first to do it. AAP was also the first party to disqualify their candidate from their party when they found some corruption charges against that candidate. They did this even after the deadline of withdrawing nominations expired. This was again a unique step. With actions like these, they showed their uniqueness and transparency from the beginning. All these things were enough for me to believe in their sincerity. I don't agree with some of their populist policies, and I am even not sure if they will live up to all expectations, but at least they are trying sincerely and that's the main reason I support them. I am also not expecting any overnight change, it will be a very long and difficult battle with many ups and downs. In the past many parties that came out of some movement and claimed to work to deliver social justice surrendered to the current political system and became an integral part of it once they got power. They didn't even try to change the system but became part of the system. Now they all are busy navigating their way to the top using the same old techniques and methods. AAP didn't do this, at least not yet, and this is what made me support them.
This was the first time I felt that any political party in India was not playing politics of caste and religion during the election., This was the first time that some party talked about overall system reforms not just an empty promise of good governance. As Amir Khan said in one of his interviews this was for the first time when some party promised not to offer a good rule but to act as people's representative and execute what people want. This was the first time that any party did a referendum to ask people whether they should form a government with the outside support of the party against which they fought the election. This party seems to care what people like me think, they seem to listen to our demands. They didn't go and settle in VIP culture after getting elected. They look very accessible and approachable. For the first time people seem to have the power to challenge the government, ask questions, demand action and pull it down if they don't like their work. For the first time, any CM has to change his official residence because many people disapprove of his choice. Many see this incident as a weakness and lack of leadership for me it was walking the talk (their promise that people are in charge). For the first time, ministers declined the security cover (however personally I feel this is unnecessary). For the first time, ministers won't travel in cars with red beacons. Some politicians practiced many of these things individually but for the first time, any political party included these things in their rule book and followed it. For me these things are enough to show that currently this party is different than many others out there and as long as they remain different, and don't deviate from their path I will support them. The day they deviate from their path, engage in the same old tactics, or become corrupt I will be the first to criticize and oppose them because my support is not blind and unconditional. I am not a devotee but just a supporter who is with them to build a great and prosperous nation.
I am waiting for the day when all other parties will become totally transparent in their activities and funding, field clean candidates, try to fulfill their election promises, and if the presence of AAP forces them to do this then I think this will be the greatest contribution by AAP to Indian politics. If this happens then uniqueness of AAP will diminish and every other party will become like AAP, and there will be competition to provide honest and noncorrupt governance to people and that will be a true democracy. I am waiting for that day. I hope AAP stays on its path till then if it deviates or changes its direction drastically it will lose the support of me and many people like me, this might happen as nothing is guaranteed but as always I am optimistic.
Thanks for reading and please share your views on this topic.
[Copyright: Vinay Thakur. Please contact the author for re-posting or publishing]
Links:
1. http://www.aamaadmiparty.org/
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