Rebuttal to Why AAP should not contest Lok Sabha Election in 2014

My highest regards to Mayurji but here are some rebuttals to Mayurji’s open letter http://indianexponent.com/60277/why-aap-should-not-contest-lok-sabha-elections-yet.html . I have tried to keep this letter minimal without too much philosophical thought process but a rather more technical approach to the points raised by Mayurji.

AAP has been very diligent in picking its leaders/candidates to make sure only people with clean backgrounds and clean intentions are recruited, but this will be extremely difficult for the core committee to make sure of when you have to look for 100+ candidates in less than a couple of months. I am sure you remember the case of Mr. Pritpal Singh Saluja, from whom you had to withdraw support just before the Delhi Assembly elections because he had failed to reveal about an FIR and a criminal case against him in Lucknow. Technically he may not have done anything illegal by not disclosing it and the party may not have had a way to know about it before his nomination was filed but this case just goes to show how easy it would be for someone with vested interests to project a clean image but carry other agendas which could push AAP a few steps back.

1)      The point is well taken but this can happen in Lok Sabha elections 2019 as well when BJP and Congress expose the candidate just before the elections. An efficient solution would be to appoint 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd in line candidates and they perform publicity together. In case one of the candidates is found to be stained then he can be immediately replaced. That way the 2^nd and 3^rd in command are known to the volunteers/workers.

      I would like to see AAP forming a government at the center with complete majority to implement its anti-corruption policies without any hindrances. However, with such a short period left before the Lok Sabha elections, it is highly improbable for us to achieve a full majority. In such a scenario, our country can witness a hung parliament which might open the doors for a third front. This will only lead to instability and will help neither AAP nor India.

2)      Full majority should not be our aim, rather putting pressure on other parties to appoint cleaner candidates is. This Lok Sabha election will be the test of time when Aam Aadmi will truly participate in the participatory democracy. Other assembly elections and general elections of 2019 will be too far away to aim for, people will forget win of 2013 Delhi elections, the same way people have forgotten mass appeal of India Against Corruption of 2011.

      You are well aware of how long it took you to get RTI passed and then to generate international level support for the Jan Lokpal bill, so I am sure you understand that reforms or changes in the political system of such a large country like ours cannot happen overnight. The good governance processes have to be followed day in and day out for years before we can see some change which is sustainable beyond the term of one government.

3)      The author talks about International support for Jan-Lokpal compared to RTI movement, fact of the matter is that most NRI’s are not aware that NRI now has facility to file RTI in different Indian Embassies and consulates. In fact Jan Lokpal movement was more spontaneous and died down the way it raised. Political change from BJP and Congress has been a long sought request from many people. The current voting happens based on “lesser of the two philosophies”, much like a bad apple and bad orange choice. A good governance is not a rocket science; when leaders like Akhilesh Yadav are celebrating Saifai Mahotsava when thousands are suffering in Muzaffarnagar relief camps, any governance from AAP would be a good governance.

      I haven't seen or heard of a second string of AAP leaders which means the members of the core committee, some of whom are also ministers in the Delhi Government, will have to spend a lot of time strategizing, implementing ideas, campaigning and fund raising for the general elections 2014. This might take up a lot of their time which would otherwise be spent on doing their work as ministers/MLAs of the Delhi Government. Mr. Kejriwal himself has said that he will campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, if he does that, do you really think he will still have the time to do his job as the Chief Minister of Delhi? Please keep in mind that we are not talking about how some other CMs do their work but we are talking about a new kind of a CM who wants to lead from the front for the betterment of the common people of Delhi.

4)      The fact is that the rest of India is suffering more than Delhi (no disregard to Delhites), the farmer suicides in central India, displacement in minning areas, environmental degradation ( a ghastly result seen in Uttarakhand) , and many other. We know Arvind can’t lead effectively in Delhi without absolute majority but will be dependent on the mercy of BJP and Congress after the Lok Sabha elections. The probability of BJP and Congress withdrawing support from AAP after LS 2014 is very high. The fundraising by AAP will be fueled by good policy announcement from the team in Delhi before Lok-Sabha elections, the strategies of Delhi elections are fresh, the contacts are fresh and people from across India are coming forward to fight this election. There are a lot of unsung heroes in each locality who are coming out and supporting AAP. The record level of registration in Maharashtra and other parts of India will also give accountability. Reports are that total 5 lakh people have registered with AAP Maharashtra in short period of time; can’t these registrants select 48 honest candidates in Maharashtra? Can’t AAP open “listening” channels like email, phone and text to know the background of the candidates? Can’t AAP broadcast names of all the candidates and request for investigation from all the members?

One essential thing we have to notice is that with AAP aiming for 1 crore registration it is reducing the probability of dishonest candidates getting selected due to twitter like information network spread across the nation. An average donation of Rs. 100 per member can raise Rs. 100 crore in matter of few days. The same distribution probability says that to increase maximum number of seats in Loksabha, AAP has to fight maximum seats in Lok Sabha. Because if AAP decides to only fight for 50 seats, the general public will vote for party which has high probability of coming to the center further reducing the seats of AAP.

The AAP model of Jan Sabha, email, phone and twitter inputs will give a national level priority of the people. The beauty of this approach is that if AAP wins few Lok Sabha seats still it can implement various policies at the constituency level, implement reforms, check corruptions in that area and act as a responsible opposition rather than Mic and chair throwing gentlemen seating in the parliament.

A no contest by AAP will lose the steam, a lot of retaliation, and false allegations from BJP and Congress over few years will consume energy of Arvind and his team. Another very important factor we have to consider is that people are ready to support AAP, resign from their jobs, canvas for AAP over the next few months, but they also have to continue with their life, studies, jobs and slowly people who have come out will think twice before supporting AAP thinking, “If this party cannot sustain its decision and give a honest fight with all its heart, why won’t it change the decisions and promises in the future”.

The author should also remember the total environment destruction caused by several parties, push for GM crops, unsustainable power projects ( 80 coal power plants approved in suicide prone Vidarbha) will lead nation to irreversible damage in the next 5 years.