Arvind Kejriwal and the consistently inconsistent AAP

Arvind Kejriwal and his party is consistently inconsistent on the issue of Assembly polls in Delhi. It is ironical that AAP has changed its stand a number of times in the past few months over this issue and yet it accuses others! This is “AAP style” of politics and smacks of blatant opportunism.

Let us first have a look at how AAP has changed its stand consistently on this issue. On February 14, Arvind Kejriwal and his party, while running away from the responsibility of running government in Delhi, suggested dissolution of Delhi Assembly to the lieutenant governor of Delhi.

After getting a huge drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls 2014, AAP changed its stand immediately as it realised that it has got exposed and would lose badly in Assembly polls. So the consistently inconsistent Kejriwal met the Delhi LG Najeeb Jung and suggested that he not dissolve the Delhi Assembly.

On May 21, Kejriwal issued a statement in media that said, “I had written a letter to the hon’ble LG of Delhi yesterday (May 20) requesting him to put on hold the decision to dissolve the Delhi Assembly for a week, in case he was considering to do so, since we want to seek the opinion of the people on whether they want a government in Delhi or will they prefer fresh elections.”

The AAP leader’s change of stand came in wake of the blank it drew in Lok Sabha polls. And then we again see a change of stand with AAP now demanding fresh elections and dissolution of the Delhi Assembly.

In fact, the media reports during that period clearly indicate that Kejriwal as exploring the possibility of forging an alliance with the Congress which did not materialise.

Interestingly, Kejriwal still has the cheek to hold high moral ground even after changing his stand so many times! Incidentally this is not the lone issue where he has changed his stand. He has been doing this all this while.

Before contesting Delhi polls, he was quoted on record swearing by his children that he would not join hands with either Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party. But it didn’t take more than a few days for him to dump those big claims and he very happily formed his government with Congress support.

One must remember here that Kejriwal had formed his political party to oppose the corruption in establishment, which had become synonymous with the then Congress led United Progressive Alliance. It was the same Congress which treated them shabbily at the Ramlila Grounds during Jan Lokpal movement. Kejriwal was in fact able to get so many votes in Assembly polls due to the apathy of Delhi voters towards Congress. The Assembly polls reflected that amply as Congress failed to reach even the double digit mark and many of its candidates pushed to number three or four position. Most of the Congress candidates lost by huge margins including then chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

Ironically, it was Kejriwal who defeated such a political heavyweight from the Congress and then he jumped into Congress’ lap and formed a government. That exposes the “style and substance” of AAP.

Prior to Assembly polls, he and his colleagues had announced that they would not be using any perks offered by the government. But they did. He said he would hold a “Janta Darbar” but did it only once and even left it half-way and never held it again.

There are innumerable incidents which expose Kejriwal and his colleagues’ doublespeak. The call to dissolve Delhi assembly is the latest one. But this won’t help them politically. The message in Lok Sabha polls was loud and clear - Dilliwalas have rejected AAP due to its politics of opportunism and preferred the BJP for its consistent focus on development.