In more ways than one the Delhi assembly election results that came out on the eight of December was re-affirming. The ire among the people against the Congress party per se was writ large with the party facing a terrible defeat, especially in Delhi where it was reduced merely to eight seats in a house of seventy. Shiela Dixit's proximity to the central government made her defeat all the more devastating. The BJP was successful in galvanizing the anti-Congress mood prevailing in the country to their advantage. In Delhi, both the BJP and the AAP shared the anti-incumbency votes.
To many, the most spectacular phenomenon in the Delhi assembly election results has however been the success of a year old party - the Aam Aadmi Party, which considers itself a political 'revolution' more than just a political 'party'. AAP was dubbed by many senior politicians as 'vote cutter', 'chillar party', 'a bunch of power hungry people', and even abused by one senior politician by labeling its members as 'AAPtards'. Media, too, were not all that confidant about the AAP. They considered the AAP as a serious contender very lately. All said, the results made all the abusers take back their words. Some politicians were gracious enough to accept their mistake in under estimating the following the AAP had. Some congratulated the AAP on its victory. The media is now in full praise of the AAP and has re-christened the AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal as the 'Giant Killer'.
Despite this all, I would not hesitate to say that the AAP, by winning only 28 seats, and hence being unable to form a government on its own, has caused a slight deal of disappointment in the minds of its supporters and all those who were hoping to see the true victory of the Indian democracy and its people. The election results came out to be such that even the Bharatiya Janata Party, founded way back in 1980, winning 31 seats, could not get a majority to form a government.
The talks of AAP forming a coalition with the BJP or the Congress party has been doing the rounds in all political spheres. To put things in perspective, it is necessary to reiterate that the AAP was born out of the anger and contempt against the conventional political parties, mainly the Congress and the BJP. To ask the AAP to now join hands with either of them is morally and ethically incorrect. Moreover the voters pressed on the 'Jhado' - the election symbol of the AAP, on the voting machines because they saw AAP as an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. AAP to now align with either of these would tantamount to betrayal of the voters of Delhi, which of course a party built on the principles of truth and honesty, would not consider.
Technically, the onus to form the government lies primarily on the BJP because it is this party that has the maximum number of seats. That they are not willing to form the government tells the following.
- Their ego, being a major national political party, is not letting them to form a government by obtaining any sort of support from others.
- They are under the impression that if President's rule comes into play and the re-elections happen after six months, the Modi wave, which they seem to rely on hugely, would spread more and will create great fortunes for them in Delhi.
- The benchmark set by the debutant AAP that it will not align with parties with whom their ideologies doesn't match has forced the BJP to follow the same so as to create a 'we are good too' image in the eyes of the public.
The stalemate is to continue if not for a quick and decisive action. Re-election is a provision in the Constitution and it can be adhered to. But the apprehensions cast on it by a huge section of people cannot be given a Nelson's eye. To my mind, the following can be a viable alternative, if not the only or the best one.
The Chief Ministerial candidate of the BJP, Dr. Harshavardhan has made it clear that he and his party is going to perform with honesty and integrity. If this is so, it is obvious that their acts would be free from corruption and that all their moves would be pro-people. I am sure that the AAP would never obstruct any move which is free from malign and is pro-people. As said earlier, BJP being the party with the maximum number of seats, should hence form a minority government in the Delhi assembly, and work with courage. There is no provision in the Constitution which prevents a party from forming a government. The fact that matters is the number of votes, or the majority that they get in the house. If any matter comes up for voting, and if the AAP is satisfied that it is in the best interests of the people, the AAP's votes would definitely be with the BJP.
But if the BJP breaks or forgets its promise of working with honesty and integrity, the AAP would not support it in the floor of the house and the government would fall short of majority vote and hence topple.
This is a challenge as well as an opportunity for the BJP to prove its worth. If it achieves success, it will not only raise their prospects in the coming General Elections of 2014 but also prove to the world that coalition politics can work well if the intention of the legislators are good, pure and pro-people. But the story will all together be a different one if the promises by Dr. Harshavardhan of the BJP aren't kept.
Wisdom lies in taking calculated risks. The result shall be destiny's choice. Din't Arvind Kejriwal take the risk of contesting against the strongest candidate of the Delhi Congress, Shiela Dixit and yet win by a margin of 26,000 votes?
Jai Hind!
