New Delhi: AAP Ki Sarkar is over in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government lasted in power for just 49 days. But it made a national impact by its deeds and the controversies surrounding the shaky government. Nobody had expected the AAP government backed by the Congress to survive for a long time. The AAP came to power by fighting the Congress in Delhi. It actually decimated the Congress and prevented the BJP from reaching the half-way mark.
Kejriwal, who stunned the nation by his victory, 'reluctantly' formed the government with the support of the Congress. Anti-graft crusader Kejriwal made it clear that he was not worried about the stability of his government and started attacking the Congress and the BJP from the very first day he took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi.
As a political analyst says "every chief minister looks for an excuse to stay in power. But, Kejriwal was looking for an excuse to resign from the day one. He has taken a huge risk by qutting. He is going down as a martyr. But, he now has the halo of martyrdom".
Kejriwal was in a hurry to change the governance. He started working on delivering on his poll promises. Some of them were impossible to fulfil. But, he wanted to make a mark. It was clearly evident that he wanted to leave an indelible impression before quitting.
Within 15 days of taking charge of Delhi government, his honeymoon with the media was over. He had to face the wrath of the media over his Law Minister's midnight raid on African nationals. Defending his minister's action, Kejriwal even went on a day and night dharna near Parliament building, a first for a chief minister in India. He took on the Delhi Police, which reports the Centre. He even ordered the auditing of private power supply companies.
As Kejriwal said before resigning, his government's decision to file an FIR against the Reliance Industries brought both the Congress and BJP together and brought his government down. Kejriwal says he refused to compromise on principles and his commitment to the people sent shock waves across all corrupt leaders and big corporate houses in India.
When Kejriwal addressed his supporters after resigning as the Delhi CM, a large number of his supporters gathered at the AAP head office actually cheered him. It is true that there was sense of loss and anguish. But, most of them were happy that Kejriwal was 'sacrificing' power for the people and to get ready for a bigger battle in the Lok Sabha polls.
The AAP has now set its eyes on the Lok Sabha polls and wants to go and grow beyond Delhi. The AAP wanted Kejriwal to lead the party in the Lok Sabha polls and did not want him to confine himself to Delhi.
According to his some analysts, the AAP was looking for an escape route and the Jan Lokpal Bill gave it to them. Kejriwal is a shrewd politician and cleverly planned it to his advantage. He managed to create both scripted and unscripted constant turbulences in politics to improve the image of the AAP and expose the Congress and the BJP.
His agenda was just anti-corruption. Beyond that he had no concrete plans or vision for the development of Delhi. He tried to shout all his critics down by saying that since he is fighting corruption, they are calling him an anarchist.
During his 49 days in office, he behaved more like an angry opposition leader or an enraged activist instead of the chief minister of a state. He did not spare anybody including the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Dr Najeeb Jung, who actually brought his government down by telling him not to table the Jan Lokpal Bill without his approval. In his fiery farewell speech Kejriwal called Najeeb Jung a Viceroy who reports to the Angrez Raj (meaning the Congress-led Centre).
It is a fact that Kejriwal's government had occupied the mind space of the entire India for all 49 days. He was in the news every day for the right or wrong reasons.
The road ahead is not very smooth for the AAP and its only face Kejriwal. He will have to prepare the party for both Lok Sabha and Delhi Assembly elections in the next two months. Expectations of the voters and his supporters are very high. They want Kejriwal to stun the nation once again by registering a big victory.
But, India is not a small city state like Delhi. Without a strong organisational structure Kejriwal may not be able to conquer the nation so easily. But even if the AAP wins a dozen Lok Sabha seats, it will remain relevant in the national politics by making a big noise in and out of Parliament everyday.
Will Kejriwal be able to go and grow beyond Delhi and make a national impact in the next two months? Only the time will tell.
But, round one of the battle goes to AAP and Kejriwal.
Timeline: Aam Aadmi Party's journey to power in Delhi
On October 2, 2012 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Arvind Kejriwal announced the formation of his political party in Delhi.
On November 24, 2012, Kejriwal named his political party as the Aam Aadmi Party.
During 2013, Kejriwal held rallies across Delhi gathering support and attacking the Congress government in Delhi over inflated power bills.
On December 4, 2013, Delhi went to elections.
On December 8, 2013, Kejriwal's AAP made a stunning debut emerged as the second largest party after the BJP in the Delhi elections.
On December 12, the BJP met Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and refused to form the government saying it did not have the numbers.
On December 13, the Congress, that won 8 seats in the Delhi election, submitted a letter of unconditional support for AAP to the Lt Governor.
On December 14, the AAP laid down 18 conditions for the Congress and the BJP for working with it. Kejriwal also sought 10 days' time from the Lt Governor to decide on whether he will form the government in Delhi.
On December 18, the AAP announced a public referendum to decide whether it should form government in Delhi with Congress's support.
On December 21, Congress said that the support to the AAP is not unconditional but 'issue-based'.
On December 22, the AAP decided to form the government in Delhi and staked claim.
On December 28, Arvind Kejriwal takes oath as CM####
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