AAP can replace communist parties of India

Why is AAP a perfect replacement for communist parties of India?

With time transforms scenario. A big lull follows a great divide, and eventually a steep fall. If these words are to be taken at their face value and communist parties in India are weighed down appropriately, a vertical descend is all in their providence for now at least. A sweeping statement what it is, the champion of socialist and communist values is passing over an interlude where its once lauded virtues emerge to take a back seat; and individual egos riding a “bullock cart.”

A bullock cart for the rationale, the party that glorified itself in its inimitable political-tactical line, finds itself in dire straits – devoid of ‘functional’ ideology, and hence, moving at a pace much slower than of a sluggish snail.

And how does the author arrive at this poignant remark?

Those who tracked the lately held congregation of Communist Party of India (Marxist) – if any - must have observed how the issue of current-validity of incumbent political-tactical line turned into a vinegary gala between party’s parliamentary group leader, the ever bubbling Sitaram Yechury and general secretary Prakash Karat. Broadly discussing, Yechury’s 13-page document targeted guns at the accomplishment of party's anti-Congress line in the last one decade and raised questions on the guidance of Karat, who undoubtedly is on the back foot now. Hence, party seems clueless if not on its way to oblivion currently.

With the kind of drubbing it received at hands of Mamta Banerjee in its three decade old held bastion – West Bengal – both in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, the party now finds itself on tenterhooks besieged for endurance. Baring north east and Kerala, no where can you see it making sense to voters.

So, here is a perfect time for someone to take over the grand legacy of the socialist communist political philosophy and win over the concerned masses. But, who should be the logically apt heir?

Not many but the one name that comes to mind is of Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Rationale behind the contemplation comes from the way the anti-corruption unit of one time, which tasted power in Delhi for 49-days (actually 47, for two being public holidays), here is a young political unit that can fill the vacuum with its contemporary socialist values and ethos. In the age when “sickle-hammer” is changing hands to highly automated harvesters, ‘broom’ at least makes some sense to the ignored class. Now with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, broom emerges as a hot property across the country and the long ignored class adores the scenario. Provided AAP remains glued to its copyright, which it should, chances for its grand materialization on national platform can become actuality.

When a party that is often accused for its pro-Hindutva stance can do away with its long held image, for plank of development (overwhelming triumph in Lok Sabha polls suggest the worth of selection), CPI (M) seems unaffected and unbendable to the bright needs of transformation. Nevertheless AAP, using advantage of being born in contemporary times, understands the gravity of situation and so, finding its toe to the shoe-front with transformed ideology.

Though ‘anarchy’ and ‘habitual agitation’ defined AAP’s ideology when it was in power, it has re-invented itself successfully by confessing its last gaffes, provided public buys the theory in these elections.

Anyhow, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely – and hence, AAP experienced nothing dissimilar. Regrettably, leaders from the CPI (M) especially are still content playing ‘agitators’ and hard core ‘leftists’. Fighting capitalism with socialism may have seemed a proposal worth millions when Adam met Eve, not any more, principally when erstwhile USSR ceases to subsist and communist China has developed own form of “capitalist-socialism.”

The knock in its reputation in Bengal and Kerala proves there are smoldering yearns to revise its populist policies, and take note of the aspirations of noticeably huge set of young voter population at the earliest.AAP, with just 4 legislators in Lok Sabha may look too petite a player to substitute “grand old man” of Indian politics, but, its voyage has only begun. Taking into account its social media reach and innovative strategies to reach out to common masses, employing least funds in process, from which even BJP borrowed a clue or two, is worth a clap.

AAP turns up as a specific version which can block the void left over by the communist parties in a much improved way, chiefly considering its cadre base, which is far younger, development seeking, and pro anti-corruption. It may seem a strong ask to anoint AAP as descendant of communist parties so early, but considering the trend how small regional parties such as Asaduddin Owaisi Asaduddin Owaisi led Hyderabad-based Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen (MIM) staged an overthrow in Maharashtra by winning two seats, in the recently held assembly state polls, in its very first attempt to spread outside Hyderabad and have a pan-India presence, unquestionably puts a case for AAP. Hence, it’s an inspiration for taking.

When other mainstream political parties such as Congress are finding its attractiveness waning, and socialist and communist parties doing nothing to re-invent themselves, the young voter of India, with socialist bent of mind, sees a colossal breathing space in “Left to Leftist” political parties such as AAP.

BY: Ashish Pandey