Rumblings rock AAP setup

All eyes on national executive meet tomorrow

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party has run into deep trouble sooner than expected. The just-born political party getting a massive mandate is itself a kind of an unnerving sign. When there is no Opposition to it, the ruling party due to its head weight can commit some blunders and undermine its own future.

But surprisingly, internal squabbles have surfaced too early and are likely to pull it in to a quagmire. According AAP’s own Lokpal, Admiral Ramdas, there is a huge deficit of trust and wide communication gap among the top leadership. There are accusations against Kejriwal’s style of functioning. Most of it points to his ‘one-upmanship’ in every party decision.

Prashant Bhushan, one of the founding leaders of the party, has said without mincing words that "...one person-centric campaign, which was run during Delhi elections, is making our party look more like other conventional parties that are also one-person centric. The only difference being that we still claim that we are wedded to the principles of 'swaraj' while they don't..”

It is an obvious reference to Arvind Kejriwal’s behaviour post Delhi elections. What is unfortunate is that it is not the reputation of Kejriwal that is at stake, the edifice of AAP may itself crumble if corrective measures are not initiated immediately. What many of these newly-elected members do not understand is that in such situations there are ‘external aggressors’ sitting just outside the door to take full advantage. The need of the hour for the party is to attempt a slew of steps to bring in what they term as ‘internal swaraj’.

The AAP was built on solid ideological basis. It promised the people that it would cleanse the whole political system - right from rooting out corruption to stemming VIP culture. Each of the founding fathers of the party has a personality and a reputation that can neither be ignored nor be trampled upon by Kejriwal. Kejriwal must be given the credit of being the poster boy, crowd puller and first face of the party. There can be no doubt on that.

Any number of Bhushans and Yadavs would not be a match to Kejriwal as far as garnering votes is concerned. The Delhi voter was galvanized by his actions, antics and aggressiveness. He was the mirror image for the real ‘aam aadmi’. Maybe there is a lurking fear in the minds of some top leaders that Kejriwal will adopt ‘high command’ or ‘party chalak’ attitude. After the Lok Sabha elections and just before the Delhi polls, there was a storm in the AAP. Many people left in a huff, some cursed Kejriwal, some questioned is ability and some even called him ‘dramewbaj’ (drama actor).

But the result of the Delhi polls left everybody, including the man on the street stunned and critics silenced. Teething problems for a fledgling party like AAP are inevitable. In the public eye the party has some of best people who are known for their honesty, integrity and penchant for social causes. It has also caught the attention of youth from across the country.

In metros, there seems to be a good response to the ideals enunciated by the AAP and many acknowledged upright individuals are keen to join it. With this kind of a perception in the minds of the party among the people, will it be right on the party elders to squander away a golden opportunity to prove to the people that good, honest governance is possible. May be the dust will settle after the AAP’s national executive meet slated for Wednesday.