With the dismal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, AAP with its fractured leadership is on a path to further worsen its electoral position in the 2019 general elections. Coupled with failure in securing an alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party’s electoral conquest has now turned into a battle for survival.
Looking at the clean image of Narendra Modi’s government, AAP has abandoned its core agenda of anti-corruption and has been building its campaign around full statehood of Delhi; however, the dissociation of promises and efforts by the AAP government has further sharpened questions over their credibility.
Public Policy Research Centre (PPRC) in a report titled “A TALE OF BETRAYAL” that reviews the performance of Delhi government based on their manifesto promises provides a good insight into the actual work done to fulfill those promises.
On the issue of full statehood for Delhi on which AAP has been centering its campaign, according to the report AAP has made no efforts towards the same. According to the PPRC report, AAP had promised to act “within the constitutional framework… to push for full statehood for Delhi.” However, the reality was totally different, “AAP government, for the last four years, did not even try to establish a dialogue with the stakeholders for full statehood of Delhi, it is by fact that only an Act passed by the Parliament of India can work in this regard.”
The Delhi Janlokpal Bill which was the major poll promise made by the Aam Aadmi Party in their manifesto for the 2015 assembly elections, also saw no substantial developments. According to the report, “Even after four years of getting elected in Delhi Legislative assembly and forming the Government, AAP has failed to fulfill its prime promise Thus not only cheating the voters of Delhi but all those who supported the movement(Lokpal)”
Further indicating towards rising corruption in AAP, the PPRC report adds, “To hide the rising corruption in the government and in Party, AAP has also removed Admiral Ramdas has AAP’s internal Lokpal.”
AAP has also been trying to build steam around its work in education however facts are far from claims of improvement made by AAP members. According to its Manifesto, AAP had promised to “Ramp up government schools to provide quality education.” The report further goes ahead to provide details of the work done by the Delhi government. “The AAP Aadmi Party Government has failed to deliver on this promises. There is a shortage of over 27000 regular teachers in government schools in there which is affecting the performance of the schools very negatively” the PPRC report further adds that “Inadequate number of counselors in Delhi government schools, there are only 213 counselors for over 1,100 government schools that cater to over 15.5 lakh students.”
The report also reveals progress in AAP’s promises over “Water as a Right” and “Electricity Bills to be reduced by half”. According to the report “The number of complaints registered for ‘no water supply’ increased from 34,554 in 2015 to 52,100 in 2017, which is an increase of 51%, while complaints relating to ‘contaminated water’ rose from 27,227 in 2015 to 33,884 in 2017, an increase of 24%.”The report further highlights instead of improving the water shortage has further intensified. “Electricity bills have not been reduced by half at all. The net charges have increased overall.” Findings of the report only add negative points to AAP’s credibility.
The report also points out that essentially no work has been done to fulfill promises over providing Wi-Fi network. “Even after four years of AAP government, not a single hot spot has been made available in Delhi’s public places.”
On countering pollution AAP’s performance was also week according to the report, the report also mentions the 25 crore fine slapped by the NGT on the AAP government for their failure to “curb the problem of pollution in the city.”
Overall, the report summarized that out of 70 promises made in the AAP manifesto, 67 have not been delivered to the people. Remaining 3 promises were misleading in nature and out of the purview of Delhi government. According to the PPRC report, other failed promises included justice for victims of Anti-Sikh 1984 carnage, regularization and transformation of unauthorized colonies, large-scale expansion in bus services, creating 8 lakh jobs, CCTV’s in public spaces and busses and others.
Dissociation form poll promises coupled with involvement in ambition driven politics has adversely affected Arvind Kejriwal’s credibility and analyzing the current political scenario, many experts believe it to be the last election for AAP.