Why Kejriwal needs to be around

It is clear that the Delhi elections would not be a cake walk for the ruling party at the centre. This would be one of the most closely fought elections in recent times and the entire BJP leadership is putting its weight behind Kiran Bedi and their Delhi unit, to try and ensure a win for the party.

The AAP meanwhile has gained major ground as an alternative. Exit polls indicate that there is a clear possibility that the BJP juggernaut might be halted in the capital.

It would be good if Bedi with her impeccable track record becomes Chief Minister, but it would be better if Arvind Kejriwal gets the top job of Delhi.

The preference is post considering the mistakes that Kejriwal has made in the past. He received criticism when he quit the Chief Minister’s post after 49 days and rightly so. Probably he became too ambitious and thought that he could be Prime Minister and change the nation.

But then he left a chair for which people have bribed and allegedly even killed in the past. A “seasoned politician” would have put the second in command or his wife as the Chief Minister of Delhi and would have still fought the general elections. We would have accepted as we have done in the past.

He promised on his kids that he would not take support from anyone and still took the support of the Congress. A “seasoned politician” would never make such promises.

There is the recent “Hawala at midnight” allegation. The AAP tried to be transparent with its funding, but a shady transaction was not properly audited, which is not ideal. Other political parties however don’t even try to be transparent with their funding.

These are mistakes for which Kejriwal needs to be criticized and from which he must learn. However they also show that he is not a “politician” yet in the negative sense of the word and his intent is positive. If he is able to mix this intent with some patience, practicality and shrewdness, we may have a leader the nation needs desperately.  

Politically neutral friends and “netizens” from Delhi, vouch for the fact that during the 49 days of the AAP rule, corruption did reduce in government offices and there was a visible difference in the daily life of a common man in the city. These are changes that would be difficult to bring about for a traditional political party. The AAP may also have its bad apples in the future, but the idea that at least a state can run with minimal corruption for 5 years, needs to be tested in the country.

Two, the AAP has forced parties like the BJP to change for the better. The fact that the BJP had to bring in someone like Kiran Bedi to counter Kejriwal is a recent example. A section of Indians would vote for the best and not for the least evil on the 7^th of February. This has not happened many times in Indian politics and the trend should continue.

Three, understandably some arrogance has crept into the BJP because of the wins it has achieved over the past few months. The Congress and the Left front are down in the dumps and the AAP needs to rise as a potent opposition that would keep the ruling party on its toes.

This is a necessity in a democracy and an alternate political ideology would lead to a more matured and well-rounded political discourse in the country.

Having said this, Kejriwal and his party also need to improve. If the AAP does win, Kejriwal needs to become more practical and learn the art of political brinksmanship. We all want India to be free of corruption, but he needs to realize that this would take time and would not happen before the fall of summer. In the meantime he cannot keep annoying all other important stakeholders.  

However the criticism that he has received especially at the hands of his political rivals has been disproportionate. We have repeatedly chosen hard core criminals to represent us. In comparison Kejriwal has made political mistakes. We should criticize, but need to have the same yardsticks to judge him and his party.

His methods may seem idiosyncratic sometimes, but he is one among us who was frustrated with the way our country runs. While most of us could not get out of our comfort zones, he took the plunge and is struggling in the Indian political system which is often dismissed as a “gutter". We cannot take this away from him.

We need him around because we may not get another like him. Does he deserve another chance and does Delhi deserve him?

Let’s wait till the 10^th of February.