Writing political obituaries is fraught with the risk of being horribly wrong. But contrary to AAP's media pollyannas, Kejriwal may have shot himself squarely between the eyes. His political demise may be a forgone conclusion.
Here's why.
Politics abhors hypocrisy. Nothing destroys a leader more than hypocrisy.
Perhaps, the best example of this maxim can be found in the sad demise of LKA as a PM candidate. Right Wingers like yours truly, watched in perplexed horror as LKA first celebrated Jinnah as a secularist and then defended that same indefensible statement. All in the hope of occupying an ABV vacated centrist political space.
This is not to suggest that a transition from left to right or vice versa is impossible. In a country where party hopping is an accepted art form, this 'credibility' theory may induce an amused yawn. But Kejriwal staked a very unique territory. That of being India's only Mr. Clean.
Rajiv Gandhi fell victim to a similar dynamic. He was India's first Mr. Clean. His address at Congress' centennial promised a 'New' India, much the same way Kejriwal did.
But once the stench of corruption engulfed an embattled Rajiv, he couldnt recover. The only thing that saved Congress from back-to-back electoral defeats was Rajiv's assassination smack in the middle of 1991's LS election campaign.
Kejriwal has committed just such a cardinal sin. He grabbed the moral high ground and has now disdainfully trampled it in a brazen public spectacle.
Some media pundits have argued that the electorate that helped catapult Kejriwal to CMship will not be the same that sustains his political career. This is, to put it mildly, one the most amateurish and asinine arguments I have heard in a long time.
Kejriwal has sacrificed his greatest asset. Credibility.
Who is going to believe him now, even if he concedes every demand made by the YoYa/Bhushan combo? RTI, internal democracy, ....every action has now become tainted. Everything he does will be seen as a sham.
When he starts attacking BJP or Congress, the accusations will ring hollow and may even boomerang.
Kejriwal has worked overtime to prove us Bhakts right. He's a con artist who will sell his mother for political office. He's now no different than a Laloo or Pawar or Mulayam or Sonia.
In the silence and dejected despondency of his followers, Kejriwal has acquired a permanent ball-and-chain, firmly wrapped around both ankles.
This is precisely what happened to VP Singh and Rajiv and LKA. And they never recovered.
Kejriwal is young and may script a sequel. But a second, generation-sized legion of AAPtards will be hard to find.
The general has massacred his own army. Where and how will he find such a dedicated legion of selfless warriors. The only ones he will now attract are the self-serving pimps and Hoes. The same ones who attach themselves to every party apparatus to leech off of the spoils of power - party/country be damned. And these pimps and hoes will need to be rewarded and rewarded handsomely.
Where will the funds come from?
"Hello 'Politics of Patronage' "
- http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2012/02/politics-of-patronage-vs-politics-of.html
Kejriwal recognizes this emerging dynamic and has stepped up his game. By appointing 45 MLAs as 'political assistants' Kejriwal has initiated the 'politics of patronage' in his ranks. This is a slippery slope. Slowly but surely, families of these MLAs will receive special considerations in their 'small' business ventures.
And slowly but surely these small business ventures will blossom into large businesses. That is when a single corruption scandal will wreck the last remnants of AAP as we know it. And Kejriwal will be forced to remain a mute spectator. For his Sisodias, Sanjays and Khetans will be collecting their cut.
Kejriwal has left in his wake a million shattered dreams and a generation of young men and women who will never recover from this treachery. But their anguish has cursed Kejriwal's political future. May be they can find closure in the knowledge that his political demise is inevitable.
p.s.
NaMo escaped a similar 'credibility' trap - http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2012/03/namo-must-run-unconventional-campaign.html - but he may be flirting with it given the significant political capital he has expended in Kashmir.
Here's why.
Politics abhors hypocrisy. Nothing destroys a leader more than hypocrisy.
Perhaps, the best example of this maxim can be found in the sad demise of LKA as a PM candidate. Right Wingers like yours truly, watched in perplexed horror as LKA first celebrated Jinnah as a secularist and then defended that same indefensible statement. All in the hope of occupying an ABV vacated centrist political space.
This is not to suggest that a transition from left to right or vice versa is impossible. In a country where party hopping is an accepted art form, this 'credibility' theory may induce an amused yawn. But Kejriwal staked a very unique territory. That of being India's only Mr. Clean.
Rajiv Gandhi fell victim to a similar dynamic. He was India's first Mr. Clean. His address at Congress' centennial promised a 'New' India, much the same way Kejriwal did.
But once the stench of corruption engulfed an embattled Rajiv, he couldnt recover. The only thing that saved Congress from back-to-back electoral defeats was Rajiv's assassination smack in the middle of 1991's LS election campaign.
Kejriwal has committed just such a cardinal sin. He grabbed the moral high ground and has now disdainfully trampled it in a brazen public spectacle.
Some media pundits have argued that the electorate that helped catapult Kejriwal to CMship will not be the same that sustains his political career. This is, to put it mildly, one the most amateurish and asinine arguments I have heard in a long time.
Kejriwal has sacrificed his greatest asset. Credibility.
Who is going to believe him now, even if he concedes every demand made by the YoYa/Bhushan combo? RTI, internal democracy, ....every action has now become tainted. Everything he does will be seen as a sham.
When he starts attacking BJP or Congress, the accusations will ring hollow and may even boomerang.
Kejriwal has worked overtime to prove us Bhakts right. He's a con artist who will sell his mother for political office. He's now no different than a Laloo or Pawar or Mulayam or Sonia.
In the silence and dejected despondency of his followers, Kejriwal has acquired a permanent ball-and-chain, firmly wrapped around both ankles.
This is precisely what happened to VP Singh and Rajiv and LKA. And they never recovered.
Kejriwal is young and may script a sequel. But a second, generation-sized legion of AAPtards will be hard to find.
The general has massacred his own army. Where and how will he find such a dedicated legion of selfless warriors. The only ones he will now attract are the self-serving pimps and Hoes. The same ones who attach themselves to every party apparatus to leech off of the spoils of power - party/country be damned. And these pimps and hoes will need to be rewarded and rewarded handsomely.
Where will the funds come from?
"Hello 'Politics of Patronage' "
- http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2012/02/politics-of-patronage-vs-politics-of.html
Kejriwal recognizes this emerging dynamic and has stepped up his game. By appointing 45 MLAs as 'political assistants' Kejriwal has initiated the 'politics of patronage' in his ranks. This is a slippery slope. Slowly but surely, families of these MLAs will receive special considerations in their 'small' business ventures.
And slowly but surely these small business ventures will blossom into large businesses. That is when a single corruption scandal will wreck the last remnants of AAP as we know it. And Kejriwal will be forced to remain a mute spectator. For his Sisodias, Sanjays and Khetans will be collecting their cut.
Kejriwal has left in his wake a million shattered dreams and a generation of young men and women who will never recover from this treachery. But their anguish has cursed Kejriwal's political future. May be they can find closure in the knowledge that his political demise is inevitable.
p.s.
NaMo escaped a similar 'credibility' trap - http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2012/03/namo-must-run-unconventional-campaign.html - but he may be flirting with it given the significant political capital he has expended in Kashmir.
Though right, but if AK is able to give great/good governance, he will bounce back, he now has ample mandate. At end of the day, a performing + non-corrupt leader is always preferred by electorate, even if he is a dictator.
ReplyDeleteWe can see this from Modi or Lee Kun yaw's example
How is Modi a dictator ?
DeleteAnd secondly does the Indian electorate first understand what is good governance ..its all perception.
http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2011/06/understanding-indian-electorate.html
ReplyDeleteYou guys may find this interesting. How Indian electorate works.