Astute Kejriwal pulls out an ace, puts ball in 'their' court

Arvind Kejriwal

It's curious to watch activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal getting politically astute by the day. A day after his party's image took a beating after that avoidable and unwelcome turn of events in Ralegan Siddhi when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai was asked by none other than veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare to leave the village, Kejriwal scored an ace by taking both the BJP and Congress off guard.

After the unexpected results of Delhi Assembly polls which catapulted AAP directly from the fringes of power politics into its very vortex, both the main parties realised Kejriwal has become the philosopher's stone. Clairvoyant as these politicians are, they know a new-age of politics is already on the horizon. There is a class of voters who want to vote none of the existing political parties to power. And to cater to them, there is a leader and a political party which has yet not gathered vices of politics for this class of voters.

With much calculations made in the power corridors, both the Congress and BJP offered their unconditional support to AAP to form the government.

The ideas behind the idea could have been many.  

Initially to send feelers to the crowds that AAP is shy of power because it made impossible promises to its voters to grab seats in the Assembly. Secondly, to drag AAP into the quagmire of realpolitik and keep a tight leash on it from behind the scene. And thirdly and more importantly, for at least a touch of the philosopher's stone to let them both (the Congress and BJP) turn into the golden fawns of the new-age politics that the former IRS official has started.

The plan was well conceived, shall we say.

But Kejriwal has nixed them all with finesse of skilful matador.

After meeting Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung whom he asked for 10 days to decide on government formation, Kejriwal told reporters: "They (Congress and BJP) may be willing to provide us unconditional support, but we are putting in these conditions."

In a letter each to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Kejriwal sought to know their views on the issues he mentioned.

The issues he mentioned in his letters to the two parties' heads include some of the important promises he made to his voters. For example, there would be no VIP security, no government bungalows for MLAs and no VIP culture. Secondly, there would no funds for MLAs and councilors. Then there would be Janlokpal for Delhi and all the scams would be probed.

He also asked the BJP and Congress about their views on his core promise to his voters on power bills in Delhi. He announced that he would go ahead with an audit of power companies and reduction of power rates in Delhi, besides investigation of power meters by an independent agency. He also made a mention of the rehabilitation of jhuggis and regularisation of unauthorised colonies within a year. Action on water tanker mafia, regularisation of MCD employees, simplification of VAT and full statehood for Delhi are some other issues that he sought to know their (the Congress's and BJP's) views on.

Indicating that nothing comes for free and there is something else that these parties want, Kejriwal has given them seven days to file their replies. He said that their replies will be made public and after that AAP will decide on government formation in Delhi.

Kejriwal has once again astutely put the ball in the court of his rivals.

As both the main parties figure out how to deal with this latest checkmate from him, the AAP leader can well utilise the next few days to chalk out his next careful move.

The pawns are all standing mute. The fight here on will be among the biggies