Three cheers to AAP Govt!
13 Feb 2018 8:31 PM IST
The Aam Aadami Party (AAP) government in Delhi accomplishes three years on February 14 and to mark the occasion. The AAP has launched a Vikas Yatra in every constituency in the national capital. Among the major achievements, the party enlists slashing of the electricity tariff by half for up to 400 units and 20,000 litres of free water every month to every household in Delhi. It has also talked about how its initiatives to improve the condition of government schools and healthcare facilities in Delhi have improved the performance of the two key sectors. AAP Delhi has had tumultuous times in the past three years with its turf war with the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G). For all these three years, the party blamed the Centre for not allowing it to work for the people and the L-G for quashing or sitting over many of its innovative initiatives aimed at bettering the people in Delhi. It claimed to have undertaken the construction of drains and water supply infrastructure across Delhi. The appointment of the adequate number of guest teachers and conducting Parent-Teacher meetings in government schools have vastly improved the quality of education in government schools in Delhi. Similarly, medical tests and free medicines to patients through polyclinics and mohalla clinics have improved the functioning of healthcare centres under the Delhi government. The government has also raised the amount of old age pensions and other similar schemes. While the AAP government has tried its best to be seen as a government that works for the people including the poor, many of its initiatives could not fructify as the L-G would put his foot down on those initiatives, claiming to hold the decisive power on those matters. Ever since the AAP was launched in the aftermath of India Against Corruption crusade launched by social worker Anna Hazare, its chief Arvind Kejriwal took on a combative role vis a vis the Centre. The party has made inroads into the Punjab Assembly where AAP with 20 MLAs is the main Opposition. Recently, the party announced the launch of its Maharashtra unit. In short, besides running the government in Delhi, the party is well on its way to make its presence felt in many states.
In his previous stint as the Delhi Chief Minister from December 2013 to February 2014, Arvind Kejriwal was dubbed by many as a non-serious and reluctant politician who threw away his government after being in power for just 49 days. But, as he came back to power with a resounding majority that saw him winning 67 of the total 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly in February 2015, Kejriwal became a household name. He is credited with engineering a breakthrough against BJP and its allies, which only about six months ago had created history by winning over 75 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Arvind Kejriwal is the national convenor of his party and former bureaucrat, who has worked in Indian Revenue Service as a Joint Commissioner of the Income Tax Department in New Delhi. He is a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur and was awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership in 2006, in recognition of his contribution to a grassroots movement Parivartan, which used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to expose corruption. Undoubtedly, Kejriwal has a sound background in academics and activism. And, in the last three years as the Chief Minister of Delhi, he has shown extraordinary stamina to fight with the establishment, whether it is the Centre or its L-G or the court cases. Kejriwal has displayed a resolve and sense of purpose uncharacteristic of sundry politicians. It is true that many of his friends, who were lured towards the India Against Corruption crusade, are no more with the AAP. And, its appeal to attract professionals from academia, media and people from various other professional backgrounds seem to be on the wane.
The biggest challenge that lies ahead of the party is the likely reelection in 20 constituencies after 20 of its MLAs have been disqualified by the Election Commission for holding double posts of profit. This may seriously test AAP's sway over the electorate and the results will determine if the AAP's revolutionary emergence was for real or was it just a flash in the pan. But, underestimating Kejriwal and his personal appeal among the masses, especially in Delhi, will be a mistake. Even as his party has failed to win any of the three civil body elections in Delhi, he can be trusted to spring up new surprises. For now, three cheers to AAP on completing three years in power in Delhi!
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