AAP without AK: Resurrection Impossible

PM Modi’s AK-49 turned 46 on August 16! For those who have forgotten his campaign speeches after the latest trending I-day speech, the reference is to none other than Arvind Kejriwal, convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). With the party demanding fresh elections in the state of Delhi and having re-launched its door-to-door campaigns, it’s pretty obvious what AK would have wished for on his birthday.

            But given the kind of reactions coming from his party members, fulfillment of his birthday wish seems extremely dicey.

Kejriwal at his first rally at Jantar Mantar after the Lok Sabha polls

            Just to remind, while one of the founder members of the party, Shanti Bhushan questioned his organizational skills, Rajesh Garg MLA from Rohini remarked that merely 25 out of the 27 MLAs were in favour of contesting fresh elections. He further added that they were afraid of speaking against “the high command” of the party.

            More than anything else, it is phrases like this which render substance to the voices alluding that a coterie runs the party and the so-called lack of internal democracy. While the party was quick to put up a united front and back AK and his leadership, the damage has been done. For a party already facing questions like-“Will you run away again?”, this is certainly not a healthy sign. It is more so a wake-up call. To heed or not to heed is certainly again up to the same “high command”.