It’s a major triumph for this young political outfit. More importantly, this election result demonstrates the preparedness of the citizens of Delhi to reject the long-running rhetoric of mainstream Indian political parties to choose a forward-thinking, inclusive, earnest, and hardworking alternative.
There is a well-known principle of management that is taught in business courses around the world – when a group of people come together to forge new teams, they unfailingly face an initial period of internal conflict and turmoil. Over time, this conflict breeds normalized standards and a sense of alignment as these teams begin to perform and flourish.
Some years ago, when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the first thrust into power in Delhi, it was one such team that had just been christened and went through an extended period of self-implosion, and rigorous conflict in its ranks. During this period the AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal lost significant goodwill and followers. There were political failures for the AAP at the Federal level and in other states like Punjab, and Haryana.
Yet, to its credit, the AAP managed to take stock, cut its losses, and set its mind and effort towards the upliftment of Delhi and its citizens during their recent tenure as the elected government of Delhi. They went back to their promised manifesto and started ticking off major improvement initiatives in the areas of healthcare, education, infrastructure, safety, and the access to affordable and clean basic utilities for the people of Delhi.
A demonstration of the political maturity acquired by the AAP, and its leadership over the last 5 years of their tenure was on full display throughout their recent campaign for the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections. They were baited and coaxed relentlessly by journalists and media outlets into commentary about the usual narratives of the other ruling parties – religion, caste, communalism, and the ongoing debate of CAA and NCR in India. However, Arvind Kejriwal and his leaders did not just refuse to indulge in such banter, they refuted it, rebutted it, and then proceeded to talk about their own manifesto – a list of predominantly 10 guarantees that according to the AAP will further uplift the quality of life of the citizens of Delhi.
Arvind Kejriwal fronted up for several TV interviews with various media outlets during the campaign. He answered every single question put to him earnestly, and with resounding reason. He proudly highlighted his government’s achievements in education, health, and public safety and security. Acknowledged failures in delivery of certain projects and provided reasons for the delays and updates on likely completion of such projects. Whenever asked to comment about the prevailing mood of communal distress in India (in particular the Shaheen Bagh protests), he emphatically stated that his idea of India included people from all religions, castes, and communities and that the AAP government was a government for ‘all’ people. No other leader from any other political party was subjected to such scrutiny in their interviews in my opinion.
In an election campaign that was marred by comments and statements of outright bigotry, and hatred by several leaders from India’s leading political parties, it was heartening to see a political outfit in the AAP that was concentrated on staying clear of such divisive garbage and called upon people of Delhi to vote for them for their track record and work achievements in matters of public works.
At a juncture of time when the democratic and secular pillars of India are at major crossroads, the triumph of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi should not be underestimated.
The entire election campaign run by the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi in 2020 must serve as a template for other aspiring Indian states and political parties to clean up their act, get cracking on the ground and work towards genuinely uplifting the living standards of ordinary citizens, and steer away from religious and communal divisions in their manifestos, and election campaigns.
India, and Indians must begin to demand clean, inclusive, and well-intentioned political outfits in other parts of their nation (and at the federal level as well in a few years).
For now, though, I congratulate the people of Delhi. You have chosen well!
Sanam Sharma is a human resources professional, and a regular contributor to SBS Punjabi. He is a published author, columnist, and blogger, who also regularly writes flash fiction and poetry for his blog "Small town boy".
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of SBS Punjabi.
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