Kejriwal seems to have everything a young restless Indian wants to have to succeed in dirty politics of India. He comes across as humble and genuinely patriotic person and has uncanny ability to motivate and arouse people. We should wish him success and be alternative force in India, because in the end what matters is the country, not political party.
However there are serious concerns. It is one thing Kejriwal limits to Delhi and give himself and his team a chance to prove to the nation what they can achieve. But, the news that AAP wants to contest nationally cast a doubt whether this is a case of over confident party reaching out beyond their borders or it has become a stooge in the Congress game. Or is Kejriwal bettering that game, playing jekyll and hyde with Congress? What surprises is, as one political observer with BJP leanings told me is the amount of media Kejriwal is getting raises questions.
True, what happened is historic where a party that did not even exist one year back, a party made of mostly young people could make this, gives India a hope that things can change. But still it behooves the question that how is that there is negligible coverage of oath ceremonies in other states with such large majorities, asks my friend? Is there a Congress game to prop him so much as an alternative force to BJP by Congress, a seemingly credible force against Modi juggernaut that has unnerved the Congress and seeking any or all possible means to stop Modi and BJP come to power? Is Congress playing the game of propping Kejriwal until central elections are over to give an image that he is an alternative to Modi and then handle him after he has done his damage? Is media unwittingly or maybe even external forces through media propping AAP?
Or is it Kejriwal too smart and playing along the game so that he and his party has a chance to come forward in the national scene. One person said he spoke to a person who knows Kejriwal from his student days, that he is genuinely patriotic person. But the country needs to be very very careful in giving power without having a chance to see what they can achieve. Is it not Communist party a corruption less party. But what is the state of West Bengal or Kerala? Where are they in development of India?
Most of the winnings of AAP came, I understand from Muslim dominated areas. Not surprise here given Kejriwal had called Batla encounter a fake, met fatwas issuing mullah and is greatly supported by whacko’s like Prashant Bhushan who wanted to give away Kashmir, called RSS a terrorist Organization and when Godhra train carnage perpetrators were convicted he said something like they were falsely accused. How will Kejriwal deal with terrorism in Delhi? Will he support those like Sharma who gave up his life fighting against terrorism by going into Muslim quarters when he has such people close to him? Can he really go after Sheila Dikshit and others involved in CWG, not before central elections when Congress will support to give impression that he is capable of going after the big people, but after the elections are over.
Running a popular movement, winning elections is one thing but Governance is another. It is a protracted battle of competing forces with their own agendas requiring deft maneuvering over a long period of time. Power corrupts the best among people. Kejriwal and his team may have the stuff he needs but he need to show it in Delhi first than be over ambitious or a pawn in a game and be a spoiler. People should not be carried away by the games of Congress, even external forces, propping him as if he is an alternative to Modi. While our allegiance should not be to a party or an individual, whether it is BJP or even Modi, but at the same time, we should watch and see.
Let us not forget that Kejriwal is not a new comer in an established party which we had opportunity to see their actions, but a completely new party with untested characters. Contrast that to BJP which is a tested national party lead by Modi whose credentials are without question. Trying to even compare AAP with BJP (or even Kejriwal to Modi) at this stage is the worst thing we can make. But at the same time it is the pressure from upcoming AAP that is forcing BJP to look for young, honest and capable candidates that bodes well for nation.
Let us not forget the mess young and hopeful Nehru, Gandhi ji foisted on the nation that slashed the hopes of this great country. Let us watch success of Kejriwal and team beyond coming elections and see how they run for few years before we put our trust in him at national level. Let us keep our allegiance to nation, parties or individuals are just instruments.