AAM Aadmi Party Coming to Power in Punjab Adds a Different Dimension to National Politics!

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  • One of the most surprising and welcome outcomes witnessed in the recently concluded assembly elections to five states is the overwhelming performance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in coming to power in Punjab with a thumping majority. The Indian National Congress (INC) was the incumbent government and largely expected to offer some resistance, if not storming back to power at the hustings, was proved wrong with the spectacular performance by the AAP. Indeed, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party was confident of the eventual result in its favor right from the moment election dates were announced.

PC: HIMANSHI DAHIYA

  • No wonder, AAP’s confidence was visible when it went ahead and announced Bhagwant Singh Mann as the party’s chief ministerial face well before the polling commenced. The announcement paid rich dividends as Bhagwant Mann took over as Punjab chief minister recently thereby ushering AAP’s second government in the country after New Delhi. Now, we all know the situation in New Delhi, a union territory with a Lieutenant Governor having a larger say as well as police reporting to the Union Home Ministry, is quite dissimilar to what will be played out in a full-fledged state like Punjab.
  • Needless to mention, AAP will be carrying greater expectations on its shoulder unlike the other parties in Punjab that voters tried, tested, and now discarded so nonchalantly. People would be expecting no less than a breath of fresh air from the party that calls itself different and with a plank of corruption-free administration as well. Going by the look of things, AAP intends to break away completely from the erstwhile status quo usually associated with any new government assuming power by not even bothering with niceties like inviting the ex-CMs to the swearing-in function. The optics on display was unambiguously a complete AAP affair.

PC: Piyush Aggarwal 

  • Note that the swearing-in function was not held in Raj Bhawan but Khatkar Kalan, the birthplace of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. The party is showing all signs of business-like in its approach and has already struck a blow at privileges the dethroned political class enjoyed like scrapping the VIP security from the Punjab police. People in the know would not be surprised to witness unusual dramatical countenance from AAP though. Make no mistake, while such anti-establishment moves will win applause in the early days, there are core issues that the Congress and the Akali Dal governments between 2007 and 2022 abjectly failed to address like the drug and liquor menace as well as the sacrilege incidents.
  • Further, while AAP can be expected to import its Delhi brand of welfarism like free electricity, water, and education to Punjab, the state’s precarious fiscal situation may constrain the extent to which the government can be generous with its please-all policies. Most importantly, the role that the Delhi-based party supremo Arvind Kejriwal will play is also going to be keenly watched in a state that has seen its share of anti-center movements in the past. Of course, AAP will be eyeing every state where a weakened Congress is struggling to overthrow BJP leading to a three-way battle between the parties that promises greater political competition. In hindsight, this is good news for democracy, and more so if it throws up new ideas for governance helping India to escape the economic stagnation of recent years.

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Krishna MV
Krishna is a Post Graduate with specialization in English Literature and Human Resource Management, respectively. Having served the Indian Air Force with distinction for 16 years, Armed Forces background definitely played a very major role in shaping as to who & what he is right now. Presently, he is employed as The Administrator of a well known educational institute in Bangalore. He is passionate about sharing thoughts by writing articles on the current affairs / topics with insightful dissection and offering counter / alternate views thrown in for good measure. Also, passionate about Cricket, Music – especially vintage Kannada & Hindi film songs, reading – non-fictional & Self-Help Books, and of course, fitness without compromising on the culinary pleasures.