Disgraced Exit

प्रकाशित: 18 फरवरी 2014 
 The entry of Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi politics on 6th December 2013 was like that of a hero, whose charismatic personality possessed remedies for all the ills. He could provide electricity at half the rates, he could provide free water to the entire Delhi, he could expose the guilty Chief Minister and her corrupt ministers and send them to the jail, he could teach lesson to corrupt electricity companies and corrupt government officials, he could eradicate corruption, he could regularize four lakh fifty thousand temporary government employees working in various government departments, but before he could fulfill all his promises, he made a dramatic exit from the Delhi politics. Arvind Kejriwal, who came to power on the promise of a new type of politics in Delhi, abandoned the government in just 49 days. In a haste to enter the coming elections to Lok Sabha, the Aam Aadami Party (AAP) made Jan Lokpal Bill as the scapegoat and Kejriwal tendered his resignation to the Lieutenant Governor, Najib Jung. Kejriwal proved to be a cunning political leader. Some people were considering him a novice in the politics, but the way he put up an act becoming martyr on Friday, proves that he is a cunning and crafty politician. Everybody was of the view that the non-Congress and BJP minority government would not last long. The mute point was whether this government will be ousted or would Kejriwal took to heels. At the very outset of the Assembly session, script had already been written that Kejriwal government had decided to quit the seat of power, but he wanted to make it appear not as a normal act, but as an act of martyrdom similar to that of Abhimanyu in the Kurukshetra battle field where he was killed after being encircled by great warriors. The AAP strategists were of the view that it was impossible to run this government for long with the support of the Congress. If the government continues somehow, then it would last up till the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, if the magic of BJP leader Narendra Modi worked in the Lok Sabha elections, then the situation could become bad to worse. Under such circumstances, if the Congress makes this government fall or it falls on its own, then it would lead to more loss than benefits to the AAP. The AAP leadership had decided upon the next step to find any excuse for causing the government to fall and the stand of  united opposition and the lieutenant governor provided that desired opportunity. As a strategic step, Arvind Kejriwal dramatically resigned and for this preparations had already been made at the Hanuman Road office of the AAP in Connaught Place. The Party had directed all its volunteers to remain present at the Party Office on Hanuman Road. The Party had also put up a small screen to enable party workers to see and listen to Arvind Kejriwal. To give it a symbolic look, Kejriwal addressed the workers for 15 minutes from the same window from where he had addressed people after the victory in Delhi Assembly elections. The positive signals received from Anna Hazare also made Kejriwal feel that it was the right time to offer a small sacrifice for bigger achievement in future. This reminds me of the dialogue from Shahrukh Khan's film 'Bajigar' that At times, to win, it is necessary to lose. The person, who wins after losing, is known as Bajigar. The AAP supporters consider the resignation by Arvind Kejriwal a step in the right direction and they are of the view that the Party had formed the government only with the object of making the country free of corruption, but Congress, BJP and Mukesh Ambani do not want this to happen. BJP and Congress have shown their true colours by opposing the Jan Lokpal Bill. With the filing of an FIR against Mukesh Ambani, both the Congress and BJP have been enraged. They felt that with the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill, they will have to face the music. That is why they did not allow this bill to be passed. The common man who voted AAP to power, is feeling deceived. The public is asking, had the Jan Lokpal Bill not been passed for the time being roof was not going to fall. Was it not more important to provide houses to the people living in slums? Was it not more important to improve the water and electricity supply in the city? Was it not important to improve the conditions of the hospitals in the capital? Had the Central Government not passed his Jan Lokpal Bill, he could have waged a political war on this issue, but he was claiming from the day first that if the bill is not passed, he would resign. In fact he has realized that he could not fulfill his promises, as such he was looking for an escape route. He wanted to pose as a martyr before the masses. The AAP government remained in power for just 49 days. During this period, not a single day passed, when Kejriwal had not created one or the other controversy. The working of Somnath Bharti, the Law Minister remained disputed throughout the tenure of the AAP government. Instead of pulling up Bharati, Kejriwal himself sat on dharna totally ignoring the Constitution and law and order. We feel the countdown for the fall of this government had started on that day itself. After the resignation of Kejriwal, there are talks among people that it would have been better if he had not sit on dharna on the Somnath Bharati issue against Delhi Police during preparations of Republic Day celebrations. His voters are baffled over this matter. Running a government and sitting on dharna do not go hand in hand. No doubt, his supporters have been claiming on TV Channels that political stature of Kejriwal has risen after his resignation, but I feel there has been drastic reduction in the number of his supporters. The educated section among the voters who voted him to power, has been disappointed with his government and this section would not vote for him again. I personally feel that when the history would mention about 49 days' rule of Kejriwal, who knows he would be referred to as a hero or a zero. Sometimes, 49 days of power are sufficient to turn a large section of supporters into opponents. Kejriwalji, you must be having enough time after sacrificing the Delhi government to concentrate on wider politics of the country and as you are claiming to win more than 50 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections, then you must put your full strength behind it.
- Anil Narendra 
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