3/31/2015 Electoralvictory,politicaldefeatTheHindu

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OpinionEditorial

Published:March31,201502:26IST|Updated:March31,201505:25IST

Electoralvictory,politicaldefeat

FortheAamAadmiPartywhichclaimstherationaleforitsverybeingisusheringinmoredemocraticandtransparentgovernance,thecurrenttroublesatthetoplevelsoftheleadershippresentanexistentialthreat.WhileDelhiChiefMinisterandnationalconvenerofthepartyArvindKejriwalwasabletoeasilywinsupportwhereitimmediatelymatteredamongtheMLAsinDelhiandamongthemembersofthenationalexecutivetheissuesraisedbythedissidentduoofPrashantBhushanandYogendraYadavwouldnotgoawayquickly.WhattheAAPseesasproblemsintheIndianpoliticalsystemcorruption,absenceoftransparencyandlackofaccountabilitynowseemverymuchapartofitsownself.AseriesofexposshaveshownuptheAAPassufferingfromtheveryillsitattacksinotherparties.Fromhorsetradingandgivingthepartytickettopersonsofdubiousbackgroundtoautocraticdecisionmakingandsuppressingdissent,theAAPappearssusceptibletoallthediseasesplaguingIndiaspoliticalsystem.InsteadoftheAAPchangingthepoliticalsystem,thepoliticalsystemseemstobeassimilatingtheAAP.Whileallofthesemighthaveincreaseditschancesofwinningthepolls,thepartyisslowlymorphingintoanothertypicalIndianparty.Witheverycompromisemadeonitsfoundingprinciples,theAAPbetraysitsoriginalbackers,theyouthandcivilsocietymovementswhoweredisillusionedwiththehithertoexistingpoliticalparties.TheAAPoweditssuccesstothepromiseofchangethatitcarriedtogiveuponthispromiseistoadmitpoliticaldefeatforthesakeofelectoralvictory.IftheAAPistotrulysucceed,itwouldhavetosucceedonitsownterms,withoutsurrenderingitsoriginalidealsandcrusadingspirit.

Mr.BhushanandMr.YadavmighthavehaddifferentreasonsfortakingonMr.Kejriwal,buttheywereunitedintheiroppositiontothewaythepartywasbeingrun.True,Mr.Kejriwalisthefaceoftheparty,itsleaderaswellasitsmosthardworkingmember.Butaleaderwhodoesnotlistentohisfollowerswillsoonbewalkingalone.Asanorganisationgrows,consensusbuildinganddemocraticproceduresmightappeartobecumbersomeandasahindrancetoquickdecisionmakingandworkefficiency.Buttherecanbenoshortcutsforapoliticalpartypushingforsystemicchanges.Mr.Kejriwalseemstobeoptingforahighlypersonalisedstyleofleadershipandcampaign,andlooksmoreinterestedinquickfixsolutionsthatdonotalwaysallowforthecomplexitiesoftheproblem.Internaldemocracyisintegraltoinformeddecisionmakinginanyorganisation.DissentanddissidencemightslowdowntheAAPandMr.Kejriwal,buttheseremainessentialtokeepingthemgoingintherightdirection.

Keywords:AAPrift,YogendraYadav,ArvindKejriwal,PrashantBhushan,AAP,AamAadmiParty

Printableversion|Mar31,20154:00:39PM|http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/electoralvictorypoliticaldefeat/article7049879.ece

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