Mr. Arvind Kejriwal stormed to Indian Political Scenario with an angry face and an angrier moustache. He was a man on a mission. He hated corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. He just had one aim in his life – to eradicate corruption from India. The activist soon transformed into a politician and with the makeover came his perpetual quest of establishing his ‘secular’ credentials. From donning the skull cap to bowing in front of mazaars to organizing extravagant Iftaar parties, Kejriwal did it all. And he hasn’t been unsuccessful. He successfully made a huge dent in the traditional Congress vote bank of Dalit-Muslim combine. And because of that he won Delhi in grand style.
With the constant inflow of the sacrificial butters of accomplishments, the fire in him has grown steadier and more intense. Sorry for quoting a vedic example here but couldn’t think of an apt metaphor. Mr. Kejriwal knows that there is one enemy and one enemy alone and that is the Bhartiya Janata Party. Hence he is now getting into his third version. That of an ally manager.
Bihar is no stronghold for Aam Aadmi Party. In General Elections 2014, almost all AAP candidates lost their electoral deposits. NOTA beat them at most places. The youth of Bihar barely connect with Arvind Kejriwal. The Muslims of Bihar have local guardian in Lalu Prasad Yadav (Not even Nitish Kumar). The Dalits have multiple custodians in Nitish Kumar, Lalu, Manjhi, Paswan and Kushwaha. Yadavs don’t even identify with Arvind Kejriwal. He is still going as a star campaigner for the MuNiLu alliance in Bihar elections. The message is loud and clear. He is getting into an alliance with the Samajwaadi trio. The anti-corruption avatar has gone for a complete toss. Being into an alliance with Lalu and Nitish directly implies that he is rooting for Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently barred from contesting elections because of the myriad corruption charges on him. But the anti-corruption activism season is a passé. The new era of political opportunism lies ahead of him. With his street smart tactics and an army of poster-warriors Arvind Kejriwal can seamlessly groom into a seasoned politician.
From where I see this is his preparation of 2019 General Elections, where he will go all out against Modi. He has cordial relations with Mamta Banerjee, as evident from their twitter chit chats. Nitish Kumar is a friend already and as he goes into Bihar elections as a campaigner, he wins the trust of Lalu and Mulayam Singh Yadav too. There are three things that he probably hasn’t taken into consideration though:
- Nitish, Lalu and Mulayam have been eyeing the PM chair since time immemorial. It was because of the Prime Ministerial ambitions of Nitish Kumar that he walked out of NDA. Lalu Prasad has a huge family to feed and with the demise(political of course) of the Gandhi Family, Mulayam Singh Yadav has started considering himself as the patriarch of the first political family of India already. Arvind Kejriwal may be smart, but these guys are no novices. And Arvind Kejriwal cannot be a king maker. He is too mercurial to play a backend role.
Read: Nitish Kumar – Political Opportunism Personified
- Modi didn’t become PM because he was just a smart politician or a terrific orator. He became the PM because he had the accomplishment of his stretch as the CM of Gujarat to quote as an example. Delhi is an unkind state. It may accept you with open arms like a passionate lover but the moment you ditch it, it throws you down mercilessly. Sheila Dixit and Madan Lal Khurana are some very obvious examples. The way Kejriwal has neglected his duties as the CM of Delhi is bound to piss the Delhiwallahs off.
Read: An activist can never be a leader
- Arvind Kejriwal probably has failed to notice that the way Modi government is going, the chances of an anti-incumbency wave is going to be minimal. The return on all the investments that Modi is doing currently is going to be maximum and most visible in his fifth year. There is nothing more dangerous for an opposition leader than a happy nation.
Anyway! I wish Arvind Kejriwal all the best. Now that his not-so-honest side is out in the open, I can pat my back for a terrific foresight. The joke is on the voters who voted this Samajwadi ally to power, thinking he’ll bring honesty in Indian Polity. Tough luck folks, better luck next time.