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AAP supporters celebrate the party’s victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, inDadar on Tuesday. (Source: Express Photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

Written by Pratap Bhanu Mehta | Posted: February 11, 2015 12:07 am

India’s great churning continues, and with what a

spectacular result. Amid all the nuances of psephology and

the complications of sociology, the Aam Aadmi Party’s

spectacular victory represents a hopeful pattern in Indian

politics. Indian voters are looking for agents of change rather

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than stasis, hope instead of easy cynicism, aspiration instead

of fear, positivity instead of defeatism, and the future instead

of the past. Contrary to the mean arithmetic of social

scientists, politics is less about ideologies, programmes,

buyouts and freebies. Politics is always more psychological.

It requires the projection of qualities that are not simple to

project: sincerity, credibility, perhaps even a sense of

adventure. Which is why politics is always more contingent.

No alternative is perfect. But voters are willing to give a

chance to those who, at a given moment, best represent this

new disposition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own victory was, in part,

due to his ability to occupy this narrative. One simple way of

looking at the story is this. In Delhi, the tables were turned.

The BJP looked old and less credible. Led by the prime

minister, it was more petulant than positive, aggressive than

constructive, reeking of cynicism rather than idealistic, full

of hubris rather than humility, and stale rather than new.

The AAP, on the other hand, wears the imprimatur of a new

revolution. It is a party that defies the conventional wisdom

that you need big money or a sectarian interest to be

successful in politics. It is a party that, in response to the

crisis of the Indian state, wants to deepen participation — in

a new language of democratic experimentalism. In Arvind

Kejriwal, it has a leader who, even in disagreement, exudes a

sincerity that is impossible to match. He did what no

politician has done in India. When he made a mistake, he

simply said sorry. It allowed him to move on.

It has, at least in Delhi, a genuine organisation with youth

and idealism behind it, a cast of spokesmen who try to

exemplify public reason more than clownish antics.

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Book Review: ThePromised Land

Article Of Faith

Death And Taxes

Daniel Bell once said that the

challenge of the modern state is

that it is too big for the small

problems in life and too small for

the big problems in life. It has to

articulate an idiom that addresses

ordinary problems or ordinary

people: petty corruption, electricity,

water. The AAP hammered home these themes in a homely

way.

If the BJP has any sense, it will draw the right lessons. For

one thing, it should break the cynical awe in which Amit

Shah is held and empower other voices in the party. The line

between being clever and being too clever by half is very

thin. The BJP is now transgressing it — witness its

shenanigans in Bihar. Second, voters are feeling betrayed by

the BJP. The prime minister is now trapped by his own

mystique. His vacillations in the face of reactionary elements

in his party and the sense that the talk is running ahead of

the walk are growing. The municipal elections in Rajasthan

were also a signal about this in minor key. Third, Modi now

has a Congress problem. Other than the ones who predate

Modi, the BJP is failing to nurture local leaders who have an

independent base and voice. Cooperative federalism cannot

be run with a centralised party. The BJP should be grateful

that it has got the jolt early enough to correct course. But

Modi has to realise that political capital dissipates fast.

But the AAP’s victory is full of possibilities. For one thing, it

sharpens the battle against plutocracy, a major poison in

Indian democracy. Second, it gives the Opposition some

More FromPRATAP BHANUMEHTA

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momentum. A different government with street power a few

miles from Race Course Road is not to be underestimated,

though the AAP will have to exercise judgement in using this

power. Third, for a polity looking for a new kind of politics,

there is now something of a model that can be replicated, at

least in urban India and in states like Punjab, where the

search for alternatives is growing desperate. Fourth, while

the AAP has deep roots in the politics of the poor, it showed

how it could also reach out to the middle class, particularly

younger voters. It is also a pointer to the BJP that even a

slightest consolidation of the non-BJP vote bodes ill for it.

In terms of long-term structural changes, there are two

tantalising possibilities. The first is the creation of a new

institutional culture. This includes not just the performative

dimensions of the relationship between politics and the

people, but also far-reaching institutional changes: authority

and accountability could be relocated in ways that are more

functional. The entire architecture of urban governance —

the relations between state governments and local bodies

and development authorities — needs to be set on a new

footing. This will be Kejriwal’s first challenge.

The second challenge and opportunity is this: It was

fashionable to portray the AAP as unleashing another

populist class war, fiscally imprudent and insensitive to

growth. This was a gross exaggeration unleashed by those

who were engaging in class warfare anyway. But the central

challenge facing India is how to create cultures of

negotiation around important issues where we do not

oscillate between cronyism and populism. All the important

issues facing us — pricing water and electricity, managing

land and environment, access to health and education —

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have been stymied by this oscillation. Even now, the fog of

obfuscation and false choices in these areas is threatening

our future. Creating credible and inclusive negotiation on

these issues is the central task. In India, the rich have evaded

accountability by raising the spectre of class warfare, and the

poor have been cheated by populism. There has to be a

liberal critique of oligarchy at the top, and a social

democratic critique of populism at the bottom. We hope the

AAP is the harbinger of this change.

As a parenthetical aside, the ridiculous campaign by some

sections of the left intelligentsia that this election would be

rigged or that somehow elections are bought merely by

money or deluding rhetoric needs to be mentioned. It not

just shows their bankruptcy. It also shows that they have not

grasped the most important thing about India: democracy

now has the passion of a religion, the thrill of a mystery.

Anyone who doubts it, or shows contempt for it, through

hubris or condescension, will come to grief.

The writer is president, Centre for Policy Research, Delhi,

and contributing editor for ‘The Indian Express’

express@expressindia.com

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sundar  

Let us face it. The BJP cant easily change its stripesbecause their core wants more Hindutva / Swadeshi /centralization while the business minded supporterswant more liberalization / FDI / deregulation. Thecore believes that economic progress will magicallycome through Hindutva becomes of some form ofsay divine intervention (read nincompoops who dontunderstand basic economics) because of doctrinal"purity". The business minded folks believe in themuch reviled trickle down theory as the way to getprosperity to the masses. Reagan and his worshipersin the American GOP believe this more than the Bibleand it got them nowhere because inequality has onlyincreased dramatically while lower down, the wagelevels have stagnated leading to their next set ofpresidential candidates all trying to put forwardpolicy positions to help raise wages (redistribution byanother name that they reviled when it came fromObama but hey, this is politics, so there!) So both the

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Obama but hey, this is politics, so there!) So both theBJP factions cant get us out of our morass. The Cong/ Left / AAP style economic however does notpromise much ether as they believe in redistributionwithout considering some basics like: - where will themoney come from to be redistributed? All the talk ofhow clean governance will make more people pay uptaxes is grossly misplaced. It assumes that peoplelook at their leaders and their performance beforedeciding on avoiding taxes. That is BS. People cheatbecause they can get away with it and want the extramoney to keep up with the Joneses (or Jains if youwill). Cant see how that will magically change? Delhidid not get filled with tax cheats and people who willthrow garbage over their walls or bribe cops becauseof their govt but because that is what they are aspeople. A govt howsoever efficient cant change that,.That will only come when people finally realize thatthe shit comes back one day. - we have enoughevidence now that while redistribution may throw afew pennies the way of the poor it does not helpthem stand on their own feet or help the get accessto opportunities even if they managed to build thecapabilities some way. - how does he plan to createcapacity in the poor top stand up on their own feetand get access to opportunity if the focus is mainlyon doles? - there is enough evidence that evenredistribution is full of holes that it hardly results inmoney going to the right people. That is part of thereason honest tax payers like me who voted for theUPA in 2009 got disgusted by 2014. No one has reallyspoken about how said programs will be tightened.The BJP just cuts them because redistribution isanathema to them while socialists of all hues wouldlove to increase them come what may with nothought for tomorrow. AK has not given any clearvision or direction on his methods to avoid the abovetraps and from the extreme rhetoric he has displayedover this election cycle, cant see how he can now dialback the same without shooting himself in the foot(anyone remember Bush Sr's, famous "Read my lips,no more taxes" pledge which contributed to hisdownfall when he was forced to go back on the sameand lost reelection to Clinton despite winningOperation Desert Storm?). PBM is right in saying thatAAP's spokespersons are a breath of freshreasonable air and the energy they have tapped intocant be underestimated. However thereasonableness and energy now need to slowly butsurely cleave towards answering the above questionswithout fully letting down his core base. The BJPcould not do that. Question is whether AAP can, Also,

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could not do that. Question is whether AAP can, Also,I suspect we as a people not quite have grown out ofour identity politics enough to sustain AAP given thatthe next time there is a crisis / downturn, we may notsee even some of their cote voters staying soreasonable. What if in policy making he has tobalance between say menial staff's salary needs andsay building hospitals and he decides on the latter?Will the said menial staff then stay impervious toclaims from say a BSP who will claim they are beingleft out because of their caste (given most menialworkers do belong to the so called "lower" castes?).Will say the Jats who voted for him forgive him if hehas to take steps against them in the event of saysome honor killings? I somehow have my doubtsthough I voted for him this time despite reservations(mainly did so because I feel the BJP has grownarrogant behind their well oiled election machinery). Ithink he will go through some serious ups and downshimself as we as a society come to terms with whatwe really want from ourselves and hence from ourleaders. Till then PBM and others can get visceralthrills that somehow Goliath got slung out by amuffler covered David while some of us wonder whatcomes after the dust settles....

about an hour ago ·    (0) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Anju  

Yoyo yaya

about 3 hours ago ·    (0) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Tellitasitis  @Raghu. Mr Raghu. All those who have written hereare not armchair honchos and spewing venomagainst BJP. It was people like us who elected BJP asan alternative to the kleptocratic UPA listening to bigpromises of Modi, and we never doubted hisearnestness to bring about the big change Indiadesperately needs after having wasted a decade atthe hands of inept rulers. Almost nine months havepassed and although Modi has initiated somenecessary changes in the system, there are manywho feel that the agenda of the government hasbeen hijacked by the 'fringe' elements of the widersaffron party and Modi has been unusually silent onthe doings of this fringe: love jehad, ghar wapsi,advocating four children for every Hindu couple,mysterious vandalization of churches, raising Godseto patriot position and wanting his statues in every

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to patriot position and wanting his statues in everydistrict. Even if the economy were prosperous andgrowing, one cannot ignore or brush aside theseactions, and economy is stagnant. Modi's deafeningsilence leads one to believe he is either tolerant ofthese mischief makers or is complicit. AAP won theelections strictly on the local issues they were able tounderstand and accept, and BJP missed reading theominous signs of the deep connect AAP had formedwith the voters cutting across all class, caste and areaconsiderations. AAP will govern responsibly or thisparty too will face the fate of Congress or the shockBJP got.

about 5 hours ago ·    (3) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Points210

anandap  

"This victory is scary...don't let it it go to the head" thefirst reaction of Kejriwal after a landslide victory iswhat Indian political class is forgotten. The wayKejriwal"s humble look and simple discourse with"Muffler and cough" attracted common people of allspectrum in Delhi. However BJP and its sycophantleaders are misusing Modi's image as anunapproachable power with arrogance. They seemsto be creating and building up artificial hysteria ofModi by forgetting his election promises. BJP forgetthat the common people of India voted Modi for his"chay pey"image as well as hope that he will addresscommon people's problems rather than sitting inIvory Tower with "great speeches". In this "whatsup"age people are very keen what Government is doingat ground level. Winning after, then cheating electionpromises, and visiting after 5 years is not going tohappen any more because communicationtechnology will update performance records.

about 5 hours ago ·    (2) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Points105

ossl  This election goes to show that in India you can stillfool the people with un-realistic expectations.Kejriwal has promised moon which includes freewater, subsidized electricity, etc & etc... now myquestion is where the money for this is going tocome from? We will get the answer in coming days.Whatever said & done Delhi is going to witness adaily dose of entertainment with Kejri at helm.

about 6 hours ago ·    (2) ·   (4) ·  reply (1) · 

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satish  

Funny you should say that cause Modi waselected exactly the same way.

about 5 hours ago ·    (4) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Sajad Padder  

The PMs silence over issues like Ghar Wapsi andRamzada versus Haramzada speeches casted himdearly. Religion apart, no argumentative Indianwould accept this insane terminology and its impacton rich heritage of India. Delhi is the most sensateplace for communal harmony. The way Delhiitesvoted vindicates the point. As the author rightlypoints out that BJP look shabby and evokes feelingsof d�j� vu. Mere change of nomenclature and staffsin some prominent institutions hardy enthuses.

about 7 hours ago ·    (5) ·   (2) ·  reply (0) · 

indian  

1. While Delhi is a small state-city with very littleweight in the Parliament, it is a fact BJP put all itsmight in campaigning - all cabinet ministers, 100 MPs,and the PM himself addressing the people. 2. BJP rana very rude, noisy and personalised campaign and itfell flat. Delhiites found the AAP to be a betteralternative than the BJP's track record of arrogantand gimmicky central govt. 3. Let us not readanything more into these results.

about 7 hours ago ·    (5) ·   (1) ·  reply (0) · 

Srikanth  

"democracy now has the passion of a religion, thethrill of a mystery. Anyone who doubts it, or showscontempt for it, through hubris or condescension,will come to grief." Such a great line. Wish ourpoliticians understood this sooner

about 7 hours ago ·    (9) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Points445

Raghu  

Back with a vengeance , arm chair honchos of aselect club are back at it full blast , their visceralvenom for BJP and its leadership which despite odds ,became the party of choice with a thumping majorityon its own in the Lokh Sabha was something

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on its own in the Lokh Sabha was somethingunfathomable , unacceptable and indigestible for theso called elitist cocktail intelligentsia , which waswaiting for an opportunity with all its pent up grudgeto vent its frustration at BJP , The only true nationalistparty . The Landslide Win of AAP seems to be adestiny sent opportunity to assuage their bruisedegos and an opening to go lock stock and barrel atBJP. Means seem to justify the ends and areseemingly making a virtue out of it , hollow pollpromises which are nothing but sheer economicharakiri are being bandied as panacea for the ills ofthis country , immune to the stark reality that talltactical poll promise of doling out everything free is asure shot economic suicide for the country withdisastrous consequences......

about 8 hours ago ·    (3) ·   (6) ·  reply (0) · 

Anand  

A very thoughtful commentary on delhi electionverdict and the real possibilities that Indian politicsoffers. I hope the conventional parties read theverdict correctly and change there course. WheneverIndian voter is provided with viable alternative theyhave voted them to power. This is precisely thereason we have several political parties that havebeen products of political movements. Hope thisverdict does not turn AAP into other political partiesby getting arrogant.

about 8 hours ago ·    (4) ·   (1) ·  reply (0) · 

Lukman  

A huge victory should not make the analysis less thanrigorous and hopes, not based on any signs,whatsoever and in fact contrary to all known facts inthe public domain, is not what one expects in an op-ed piece in a major newspaper.

about 8 hours ago ·    (0) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Bijay Kretd.degree college economics teacher-against corruption.Interests in

Social Justice(I believe- Honest Politics is Best Economic Policy)RTs are not

endorsements

 

Now, the first work AAP is to do is to pass it's 'JanLokpal Bill' , in the first Assembly session, which waspulled down by 'Cong BJP' last time due to which

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pulled down by 'Cong BJP' last time due to whichArvind Kejariwal resigned.

about 8 hours ago ·    (1) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Bijay Kretd.degree college economics teacher-against corruption.Interests in

Social Justice(I believe- Honest Politics is Best Economic Policy)RTs are not

endorsements

 

The nation never had any BJP wave nor any Modiwave. The wave was artificially created (and imposedon voters from outside) during last General Elections--It was believed that BJP spent about 10,000 croresusing latest Technology through electronic mediawhich believed to have disuaded people during lastGeneral Elections. But how long such 'Modi Wave'(which was imposed on people from outside) will last? Truth has to come to the surface and thathappened in Delhi. Last time an infant (and politicallyinexperienced) party AAP could be able to get 28seats in Delhi. But AAP was not willing to form govtdue to lack of number. Cong (with 8 seats) cameforward to give unconditional support to AAP , butCong finally betrayed AAP by joining hands with BJP(immediate after FIR was filed against top industrialGiants) which pulled down AAP. Delhi voters are notfools--they gave their final judgement in which Congwas totally rooted out and BJP almost rooted out.Forward march of AAP has begun.

about 8 hours ago ·    (3) ·   (3) ·  reply (0) · 

Ramji  We had this kind of euphoria in 1977 when Janataparty came to power only to see it squandered awayand all the ideological people turning to be turncoatopportunists

about 8 hours ago ·    (4) ·   (0) ·  reply (0) · 

Points445

Raghu  

Only way of empowering the masses of this countryis through economic emancipation and creating

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