Arvind Kejriwal’s Offering to Resign Will Not Cut Much Ice with the Public!

• People closely following the fortune of the political parties in the country would have noticed how the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came into existence courtesy of a crusade against the corrupt administration and bane of corruption bogging the country. The widespread support garnered by the AAP led by the crusader Arvind Kejriwal had created a storm among the ordinary citizens fed up with the all-pervading corrupt system. The overwhelming majority felt at that time Arvind Kejriwal would usher in a much-needed fresh perspective to the political narration giving further impetus to the fight against corruption. Recollect how the UPA government at that time was mired in a slew of corruption-related scams, one bigger in dimension and scale than the other.

PC: Money Control

• We know of how Kejriwal parted ways with the social crusader Anna Hazare and formed a political outfit promising to usher in changes vis-à-vis clean governance and able administration. Alas, all that has changed over a period of a decade with the AAP itself mired in the corruption case, the Delhi excise policy, resulting in him now offering to resign from the post of the CM. With Kejriwal’s resignation, Delhi goes into campaign mode straightway. Hopefully, polls will lead to a normal government. Remember last time Kejriwal resigned as CM, he returned to office with a landslide win. Much water and waste have flown into the Yamuna since. Over it, hangs almost a decade’s worth of anti-incumbency. This can’t simply be wished away by replaying the resignation card.
• In dramatically waving it around once again, Kejriwal conveyed that jail hasn’t made him cautious. Further, it was a call to electoral arms to AAP workers, upon whom too the last few months have weighed heavy. It was about energizing them – albeit with a clear understanding that the high command will continue to be in charge of whoever it anoints as the interim CM. Did someone say all political parties and leaders are alike? You bet it. In recent times, note that Hemant Soren and Nitish Kumar have found the business of retrieving CMship from the placeholders of their choosing to be messy. These skirmishes will be wisely remembered by Kejriwal, as he makes his calculations. But his situation is also distinctive. Close observation will reveal this.

PC: Times of India

• Not only did Kejriwal accrue political and then executive capital on a loud anti-corruption platform, at least by his own accounting recently. That is why the pitch that Kejriwal will return to the CM’s office only after getting a certificate of honesty from the electorate makes sense as a political strategy. However, this will not cut ice with the discerning people anymore who have become wiser in understanding the undercurrents and machinations of politicians. AAP is a recognized national party commanding a majority in the Delhi and Punjab assemblies and with five seats in Gujarat. But what would AAP be without Delhi? BJP is itching to hold the reins of power again. For Delhiites, the ensuing elections would hopefully offer a normal and stable government. That’s all.