MCD elections: Is it the beginning of end for Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal?

Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was pinning hope on MCD polls in a bid to revive its political fortune in the national capital. But the party drastically failed to earn people’s confidence, indicating it is almost a ‘shut case’ now. The party needs to come out of aggressive and negative politics, it has been part of since inception. 

Arvind Kejriwal statements and party’s stands, seems, did not go down well with the voters.

Kejriwal’s comment that voting for BJP in MCD will put the lives of children at risk, did not get ‘likes’ from the denizens of the state capital. As it was seen as a virtual threat to the voters who categorically rejected him in return.

No seating CM in the history had called a PM, who got a massive mandate, a ‘coward and psychopath’.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was in power in MCD for the last 10 years, retained the power comfortably as it got a two-third majority, while the AAP was at a distant second.  The BJP bagged 183 wards with AAP and Congress winning 46 and 28 wards, respectively.  

The results show that the BJP has clearly swept the public mandate once again, and people have ignored the AAP, all thanks to its tactic of shifting blame on others, especially on PM Narendra Modi and BJP for its each failure. 

After Congress party’s continuous failure since the 2014 general elections, AAP was expecting to become the alternative party. Even they tried their best to become a national party and contested Punjab and Goa elections with fanfare. The party went on to claim that they would form the government in both the states. But the results were different from the claims. In Punjab, the AAP won 20 seats and failed to open its account in Goa. 

There was also a time when almost all the AAP ministers were out of country and Dengue and Chikungunya were at its peak in the city. 

So was the case during recently held Assembly elections in Punjab and Goa. The senior and junior ministers were mostly busy in campaigning for the party in the two states.

Ire of Delhi people can be gauged from the fact that AAP’s candidate lost its deposit in the recently held Rajouri Garden by-polls. The seat was won by BJP’s Majinder Singh Sirsa. The result was a huge setback for the AAP, which once had 67 MLAs (now 66) seats in 70-member assembly in the capital.

After continuous loss, the party changed its line of political course and started alleging EVM tampering behind its debacle. However, people overlooked the AAP’s call and backed PM Narendra Modi’s leadership in a big way.

Also the Shunglu Committee’s report pointing out ‘gross abuse of power’ by Kejriwal invited flak from people.

The war of words between AAP government and Lieutenant Governor is also not a new thing for Delhiities. News about AAP calling the LG an ‘agent’ of the Centre has become a daily routine now. Despite knowing the fact that Delhi is a UT, Kejriwal never leaves any stone unturned in his attempt to breakdown system. This was perhaps another reason why people opted to show the door.

Today’s verdict also throws light on astrologer Sushil Chaturvedi’s predictions that the AAP will collapse by 2017, and Kejriwal will disappear alongside. 

Chaturvedi, widely known for his astrological predictions, had even earlier predicted that Kejriwal may face physical assault from the people for not fulfilling the promises he had made. 

The astrologer had made famous predictions in past like Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, Sonia Gandhi not to become Prime Minister of India and that Narendra Modi will face tough time after becoming PM.

Road is not long for Arvind Kejriwal and AAP, which has consistently loosing people’s faith, if they do not amend their ways.

At this juncture, the AAP bigwigs need to sit together and understand the nerve of the people. The party needs to introspect and analyse where it has gone wrong. By blaming PM Modi merely it can’t escape the people’s ire. 

For rest of tenure, almost 2 years and 10 months, Kerjriwal and AAP have to win back people’s confidence, otherwise road for them ahead is difficult.