AAP : Reasons behind Skipping Maharashtra Polls
September 29, 2014
After its decision against contesting elections in Haryana, the Aam Aadmi Party has now decided against contesting state elections in Maharashtra too!
While the party completely withdrew from contesting the state elections in Haryana, in Maharashtra – the home state of its estranged ideologue Anna Hazare – it has been a ‘return of the native’! The AAP seems to be back to its roots to do what it does the best – to hold demonstrations. It plans meetings and street plays so as to “expose” corrupt candidates and to take to the streets to protest against the “menace” of black money, alcohol and other bribes to buy votes in the state.
Why should a political party shun elections?
Doesn’t it sound strange for a political party to decide against contesting in elections – the most sacred ritual of democracy? How can one explain this rather unique phenomenon?
There has been a growing perception that the AAP lacks the winnability factor particularly after its debacle at the last general elections. Many of its earlier supporters have withdrawn from the party ranks. Reportedly its decision to avoid the Haryana elections too has not gone down well with party leaders in Haryana who had hoped of a larger share in power politics in the state.
The unofficial explanation of avoiding Haryana and Maharashtra elections is the party’s focus on reinventing itself in Delhi politics. The party leadership now strives to build up the base with a more traditional approach – by launching the party’s youth and student wings in the city-state. It is into a mass signature drive for an early election in the state presently under President’s rule with its assembly in suspended animation.
Apparently, the AAP seems more concerned about consolidating its base in Delhi, its perceived stronghold. Much to its credit, it has managed to keep its flock together in the national politics in the face of its allegation that the BJP was trying to poach its MLAs.
AAP was never perceived to be a regional party
Yet, the AAP was never perceived to be a regional party and its decision to contest 432 Lok Sabha seats in the last general elections is an ample testimony of this fact. Another proof of its ambitious expansion plans is its ‘Mission Vistar’ plan. As part of this expansion programme the party has now appointed ‘Observers’ and Co-Observers’ for 21 states and seeks to set up ‘Mission Vistaar Committees’ and ‘Disciplinary Action Committees’ in states soon. Ostensibly the whole exercise now is to “restructure and consolidate the party organisation”.
Ambition has no boundaries. Obviously Kejriwal does nurture larger ambition than other regional satraps such as late Balasaheb Thackeray (Shiv Sena), or N.Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party). Yet where are the party cadres?
It takes an effort to create a political impact yet it takes double that effort to sustain the impact. None other than Kejriwal should realise this better. After all, the AAP chief had indeed erred grievously earlier by preferring individuals over cadres. In the process, he did take the people’s support for granted after his fluke victory during last year’s Delhi assembly elections.
Shaky future
So, what does the future hold for the Broom? Of course the party’s fall within 49 days of coming to power in Delhi was as dramatic as its rise in just a short span of nine months! The slide has clearly continued thereafter. And what a fall it has been in spite of the party’s aggressive positioning during the Lok Sabha elections by contesting 432 seats. The move came up cropper as the party drew a blank in Delhi and could win only 4 seats. Its candidate could save their deposit in barely 19 seats!
Kejriwal himself is still to get rid of the ‘bhagoda’ (one who ran away from responsibilities) tag that stuck to him after he showed an unusual haste in quitting as the Chief Minister of Delhi before the general elections.
In light of this, wouldn’t it have been better for Kejriwal to try luck at the ensuing assembly elections as a few wins here could have been a morale booster for his depleted party?
Dwindling finances
Ostensibly, there is more to the AAP leadership’s decision of not contesting the ensuing state elections in Maharashtra and Haryana (and for that matter even the recent by-elections) than the proverbial once bitten twice shy syndrome.
Visit the official website of the AAP, and the reason for its withdrawal is palpable – the AAP’s finances are dwindling at an alarming rate for want of the donors. On Sunday, its collection was just Rs. 6,188 from 14 donors while on 23rd September the figures had touched a dismal Rs 1,462. In fact, the total donation to the party during the last fortnight was a measly Rs 2,77,570 only – less than even the earnings of many corporate honchos!
Obviously, money does matter in elections but funds seem to have drained out for the AAP. Why so? After all, the same party had been able to generate about Rs 20 crore in donations so as to contest the Delhi assembly elections last year!
But can the party be written off so quickly? After all, the party does have 28 Delhi MLAs and four members of Parliament to flaunt!
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