Why Kejriwal is desperately looking for an alliance with Congress

In the run up the 2014 general elections, there was a huge anti-corruption wave in the nation. Riding this wave was Arvind Kejriwal, considered the mastermind behind Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement. He was successful in floating his political party. Contrary to the views of Anna Hazare who himself was opposed to giving political colors to the movement. Many political experts cited the limitations in party leadership and experience required to float a successful political outfit nonetheless Arvind Kejriwal went ahead, which many term as a move, motivated to cater his personal political ambitions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSVALtHMqQ

The first challenge for Arvind Kejriwal was the 2013 assembly elections in Delhi. AAP despite dominating the media buzz for long only succeeded in winning on 28 of the total 70 assembly seats and emerged second to the BJP with 31 seats. Speculations over AAP and Congress joining hands were just emerging, on the other hand, Arvind Kejriwal in an infamous video took an oath on the lives of his children to never join hands with the Congress. However, it was not long that the AAP government was formed in Delhi by the support of Congress. What didn’t come as a surprise to many was the short span the Government functioned. Arvind Kejriwal on the 49th day of his government resigned as the CM blaming the collapse on Congress and pushing Delhi into another expensive state election. AAP riding the sympathy wave and anti congress sentiment won the assembly elections in 2015.

The game of passing the buck by Arvind Kejriwal had just started. Hit hard by the complex realities of governance systems and lack of experience, Arvind Kejriwal’s dismal performance as the CM was well substantiated. Learning from the past experience of passing the buck Arvind was back at it. The game of shifting of responsibility was used by Arvind Kejriwal to save the face of AAP government and target political opponents. The continuous blaming of the central government over the failure of the AAP government is the most compelling evidence in this regard.

Abandoning its core principles on which party was formed, Arvind Kejriwal has shifted AAP’s focus on blame game and caste based vote bank politics of the traditional parties like SP, BSP and others. The angry and aspirational middle class which formed the greater part of AAP voter base carried forward from the anti-corruption movement now feels cheated with continuous desecration of values and refrainment from taking responsibility by Arvind Kejriwal, for political gains. Leaders leaving AAP citing Arvind’s autocratic behavior substantiate voter’s feelings.

After his campaign of continuous shifting of responsibility to the central government had fallen on its face, Arvind Kejriwal forgetting all his past lessons is back at it. Looking forward to AAP’s certain defeat in the upcoming elections, Arvind Kejriwal continuing with his policy of passing the buck is in search of a new scapegoat.

Congress itself looking at meek performance in the upcoming polls has again emerged on the scanner of Arvind Kejriwal. Desperate for an alliance with Congress to save his political ground, Arvind Kejriwal despite numerous efforts is being shunned by the Congress. An alliance with Congress may not prove electorally beneficial to either party however it sure provides Arvind Kejriwal with another scapegoat to blame for the impending electoral defeat and live to fight another day.

Involvement in ambition driven politics and refrainment from taking responsibility has adversely affected Arvind Kejriwals’ credibility and analyzing the current political scenario, many experts believe it to be the last election for AAP.