Indian democracy was much overshadowed by a single party rule for decades. As the license raj at the helms dismantled to pave way for opening the gates of economic liberalisation, the political structure too harboured a transformation. The rise of BJP fostered another political pole and with it managing a few coalitions, a mainstream landscape of polity was established marked by a fragmented array of scattered regional outfits. These one man armies of regional parties more or less were poor clones of ideologies harboured principally by the mainstream parties.
In 2011, Anna Hazare paved way the way for an anti corruption crusade that resulted into both the mainstream parties bickering and blaming each other for systemic corruption. The movement was fought and rooted to pass the Lokpal Bill against corruption which was pending conveniently since independence.
A fallout of the movement were some participants who joined politics promising an alternative system hijacking and subverting its objectives. Arvind Kejriwal founded AAP which was supposed to provide a breath of fresh air into the system but unfortunately turned out to be an old wine in a new bottle.( Same hunger for power and control wearing a Gandhi cap)
In this initialized euphoria, many educated individuals joined the party although it also became a flooded ship of opportunists. Aam Aadmi Party was a ‘start up’ on a contra distinctive premise which differed from other parties.
Beginning as an assortment of activists the party explored to be an alternative to the existing system. However the party mostly ascribed itself to a feeble form of socialist and populist measures which was evident in its way of campaigning ( free wifi ) and functioning ( I go for dharna).
Even though the purpose is packaged as a change, the ground reality was synonymous with enjoying the lucrative spoils of power or control , the usual smokescreen or spin off rendered as an ‘alternativism’.
However as the party evolved, it slowly embraced the same main stream credentials they thunderously had promised to fight and uproot. Coalition to get power in Delhi, exorbitant spending on campaigns, poaching of legislators, hyped promises with little visibility on ground, the high command culture, purging all internal opposition, financial misappropriation, inclusion of tainted individuals, law will take its own course jingle and now the alleged sex scandal.
One of the primary differences between them and other political parties was said to be a functional internal democracy effecting collective decisions even though Kejriwal became the face of AAP.
Every political party has factions and personality cult figures and AAP was melting itself into the same without seeing it coming which made it like any other party. The sway Kejriwal and his cronies enamored from within begun to usurp more mileage and took away whatever dissent and meaning that existed inside.
Somethings like distribution of party tickets to the tainted, accepting unverified dubious donations and inculcating the engine of paid news culture perpetuated an implosion within making conditions for breakaway factions.
Taking a subtle leaf out of Hitlers night of the long knives, it’s desi version involved purging of all those who didn’t toe Arvind Kejriwal were issued show cause notices and expelled within a fortnight.
The internal democracy that was stylised as different than others churned into becoming a one man centralised political party entity. All the features of a high command power centre were automatically embedded in AAP with the rest rendered as powerless cronies.
Along with the ideological nucleus in form of the Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, a lot more activists associated with India against corruption movement exited.
The breakaway faction now is determined to continue their own political movement by floating the new Swaraj India party.
The new party is a mini replica of AAP with similar principles and philosophy on surface but it’s inherent approach will be evident after it swims on testing waters.
Launched on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the party seems to carry forward the same legacy that was vouched by AAP. The party claims to have been founded in lieu with transparency and accountability in its functioning and internal mechanism. The party plans to come under the purview of the RTI and has commissioned an officer already for the same.
Swaraj India plans to imbibe participatory democracy and its functioning is said to weed out horse trading, preserving all the freedoms of expression and opposition.
A splinter group of AAP volunteers action Maanch is supposedly providing the cadre base with over 400 delegates all over the country pledging to work under their new founded ideals along with IAC volunteers.
Will the newly born political organisation Swaraj India of Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav find teeth in its march to fit in the existing scheme of things???
There are some points which have to be considered when prospects of it denting into vote banks and carving niche are concerned. Parties formed by breaking away somehow have that less influence in exerting the same impact as the parent party.
When Shiv Sena broke into its sister MNS the party initially did make a furor looking to upset Shiv Senas traditional Marathi Manoos. Even if Raj Thackeray had a mass appeal, the party failed to live up to those expectations even if it seemed to rebrand the son of the soils issue.
Here no leader in Swaraj India has that mass following even if ideological impetus may be provided by leaders like Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. The cult of a frenzy that is enjoyed by Kejriwal is clearly lacking here and its furthered by having no leader with electoral political experience.
Pooled along with these central issues the other part also is about Prashant Bhushan popular belief in having a plebiscite in Kashmir which may not resonate with a larger pan Indian appeal.
Post 2014, as era of coalition politics has dissolved,regional outfits who used to hold a fulcruming power then have lost their sheen. Swaraj India won’t gather much in today’s scenario. RJD which was a breakaway new party out of Janata Dal had a major hold over national politics in days of coalition politics and so did parties like SP.
Even at the level of state, their propagation would be subdued by lack of coalition where it may have had played a role of a kingmaker in certain circumstances.
Smaller Splinter clones of other parties like the one started by Keshubhai Patel (Gujarat Parivartan Party)passed into oblivion before it could muster a presence or the one initiated by Yediruppa later merged with the mother party.
On these occasions the parties were formed to throw a challenge to the originals or a means to teach a lesson. The group that has founded the Swaraj party was suspended were sidelined in AAP and its working may go along the lines of being a heckler to the Kejriwal system.
AAP has monopolized fighting corruption and this may push Swaraj India to act as an alternative to another alternative where no other competitive player was in this domain. Still the absence of a bigger leader in the folds is a big void in Swaraj India which may puncture holes in their overall canvassing of striking a chord. Their persuasiveness of telling people about meltdown and merging of AAP as any other party would be daunting and would need to rely on emergence of better mass leaders in the party.
The party is planning to enter the fray by fighting its maiden elections in Punjab which is already reeling under a three way fight between AAP, Akali combine and the Congress. Punjab assembly will capture Swaraj party and its prospects with respect to two aspects.
Primarily it can capsize or spoil AAPs chances of branching out its success out of Delhi. Secondly it can also check its standing with respect to other parties and the Badals.
When there is an overcrowding and scramble for space and competition, aspiring politicians either join the mainstream parties or bleb as poor clones of the same.
Activism has emerged as an opportunistic plank or a ‘start up’ to challenge the already established. AAP started the trend and failed whereas the splitting Swaraj party is on the verge of carrying the legacy of the India against corruption movement.
Whether it really turns the tide as an alternative or just dies as a singular wave creating few ripples will be unfolded with the advent of time.