Analysis

AAP-Congress Versus Modi!

By present trends the BJP led by Narendra Modi appears unstoppable. But is it really so? The notion that the Congress can defeat him would be at present laughable. There are however four months to go in preparation for the 2014 polls. Much can happen in this period. Much may have already happened outside public attention. Consider the possibilities.

Barring an unseen development AAP will form the government in Delhi this week. It will be supported by the Congress party from outside. After strident criticism of Congress the Kejriwal team will accept support from that party. To morally justify such support the referendum drama seeking public approval for the decision was enacted. An 18 point agenda was forwarded to both Congress and BJP. The BJP rubbished the communication. The Congress spokesperson justified support to the party on the ground that it agreed with several points of that agenda. Thereby both Congress and AAP laid the grounds of a principled alliance. A BJP leader alleged that it was a preplanned and unholy alliance between both parties.

Whether it is preplanned or post-planned, holy or unholy may be disputed. But the alliance is there and it would be naïve for AAP leaders to think that they can easily wriggle out of it. Already the Congress has endorsed the AAP claim that the electricity tariff can be reduced by 20 percent. All that the AAP government needs to deliver in Delhi is a performance that convinces the public that it is sincere. What needs to be considered is how the alliance will affect electoral fortunes across India for 2014.

Contrary to popular perception an alliance with the Congress may not harm but help AAP provided the correct strategy is followed. Rahul Gandhi has already declared his intention to reinvent the Congress beyond recognition. There are moves afoot to change all Congress state presidents and central ministers and entirely revamp the party leadership. That might superficially change the face of the party. It will not by any means be a reinvention. But that is where the AAP alliance might just be the game changer.

It now transpires that there could emerge a chain of NGOs across the nation to provide an all India presence to AAP. Suddenly AAP leaders have announced their decision to contest all the parliamentary seats in Gujarat, Karnataka and Mumbai. They had earlier claimed a presence in over 300 districts in India. It might have been considered hype then. Not any more.

Dinesh Waghela is in charge of AAP volunteers outside Delhi. He has already claimed to have raised AAP units in Goa and Gujarat. He has announced intention to expose BJP corruption and contest all Gujarat seats. He is a successful businessman, follower of Osho, and had once worked with Baba Ramdev. He joined AAP earlier this year. If his claims have substance how might AAP perform in the general election? It would be reckless to underestimate its potential in the cities. And if the Congress and AAP can arrive at a mutually agreed formula for cooperation, there still exists a nationwide unused Congress army of party workers across rural India who can be galvanized into action.

That is not all. If the alliance can be successfully cemented the Congress might also succeed to rope in other powerful regional parties on the same formula. AAP therefore could well act as the Congress Trojan Horse to spread its wings nationwide. Much would depend on how far Rahul Gandhi would be prepared to go to dilute his party’s present structure and image in order to attract AAP and other regional parties into a common fold. Would he, for example, be prepared to countenance investigation into at least a few corruption cases against his own party members? Would he consider a new common symbol for the parliamentary poll which is mutually agreed to by all the alliance partners? The Congress has already changed its party symbol thrice. A fourth time will not be a disaster. If this were done the party would retain its recognition as a national party on the strength of its presence in the requisite number of minimum states.

Likewise the regional parties would retain recognition as state parties because they would retain their current state symbols. That would include the AAP which is now a recognized state party in Delhi with the broom as its symbol. In other words the Indian National Congress should contest the 2014 general election as the Indian Federal Congress. All this to happen seems unlikely of course. But is it impossible given the desperate state of the Congress? The potential for a formidable challenge to the Narendra Modi-led BJP to emerge under an AAP-Congress alliance should not therefore be cavalierly dismissed. Much can happen in four months. India might yet witness a keen contest in 2014.

23-Dec-2013

More by :  Dr. Rajinder Puri

Top | Analysis

Views: 3409      Comments: 7



Comment Cometh the hour,Cometh the Man-Mr.Arvind Kejriwal & AAP are going to Change Indian politics forever-The MODI WAVE IS NOW OVER & BJP is deeply worried & Panicky about AAP...The corrupt & Criminal elements in Congress & BJP have been FOOLING the Indians for long with their Mock rivalry !! Look & observe carefully around you---Most of the Onion mafia,Land mafia,Liqour mafia,Sand mafia,Mining mafia,Education mafia,Black marketeers etc are DEEPLY LINKED With BJP & also to Congress !!..Nowdays,Good & simple people from Congress & BJP Have started shifting over to the AAP...

Dr.R.K.Uppal
25-Dec-2013 00:38 AM

Comment Congress is Congress. Like leopard it will not change its nature, Kajariwal or
no Kejariwal. it has amassed corruption cases/bodies around it self. Friend is known from the company he keeps. So is Congress. .Alliance of principled andunprincioled parties cannot succeed. Wait for 2014 election result. .

Pranlal Sheth
24-Dec-2013 11:18 AM

Comment This is a hilarious analysis. It seems that the author is desperate to have a non-bjp i.e. No Modi govt and is clutching at straws with hope and miracle.

The author is glossing over all the lies told by Kejriwal - will not take anybody's support that too swearing by his children. What is there to say that there will not be anymore such lies. The author has already lowered the expectations from AAP - 20%reduction in tariff not the 50% promised in the manifesto.

The betrayal of AAP is going to be painful to the people like this author. I know it and have experienced it. My withdrawal symptoms are declining though.

Vednim
24-Dec-2013 09:44 AM

Comment Finally, AAP may still be a game changer in Indian politics. If they survive these attacks from behind and survive other adverse conditions and continue to pursue clean politics. If they fail, get divided, engage in corruption, then the old days of power politics and corruption will prevail till next wave of change comes. Else, it looks like Modi will be forced to clean BJP and NDA or he himself will be cleaned because of the kind of public expectations and indirect public pressure the AAP party is going to create in next few years.

Dinesh Kumar Bohre
24-Dec-2013 04:09 AM

Comment Now, many wish that Modi becomes the PM with BJP in power and AAP sitting in opposition, this wish comes from belief that the nation needs a strong decisive leader as PM and simultaneously a strong and clean opposition to keep BJP in a check.

Whether AAP and Congress coming together is just a post poll alliance Or it was a backdoor pre-alliance. It seems that the Congress has taken yet another step towards suicide by supporting AAP. The first suicidal step was when Swami Ramdev and his supporters were evicted from Ramlila ground 2.5 years back. There are citizens who will never forget the unjustified, criminal and brutal act by Delhi police (under guidance from the CM and HM).

Excessive petrol, diesel and LPG price hike, unchecked inflation (which the govt can actually check), providing funny excuses to protect criminals and corrupt, the Anna Hazare movement (which was fertilized by Congress in the beginning and then it backfired), naming Rahul Gandhi as VP of Congress (who everyday does more harm to Congress than good), misusing power to dominate allies, ditching ally DMK and so on .... ARE ALL SUICIDAL STEPS taken. As a result, Congress is likely to be found chasing number 100 in next Loksabha elections.


Regarding support to AAP, it was clear from news coverage yesterday in major news channels and news papers that now the AAP is set to be a hot target of attack by media, they have already started work to tarnish image of AAP and Kejariwal. The media yesterday termed those 18 promises made by AAP as "Impractical" (they seem to realize this only after AAP party decided to form govt). It is interesting to observe that the media agencies that claim to hold army of experts on various subjects to provide best news, concluded that AAP party has made 'impractical' promises.

Since media does not take side without a fitting business interest, one can understand the game-plan the Congress is opting for. (reasonably rejecting possibility of BJP behind this media game).

IN COMING WEEKS, IT LOOKS LIKE MEDIA WILL PURPOSELY CONFUSE CITIZENS BY SPREADING SELECTED FACTS AND BELIEFS COOKED UP IN PURE IMAGINATION.

Dinesh Kumar Bohre
24-Dec-2013 04:06 AM

Comment You, in one of your earlier articles had claimed that Anna-Kejriwal agitation actually diverted attention from corruption charges against govt. SC was tightening noose on govt with Black money issue and Hassan Ali case.

It became a very clever subversion. The issue was subtly changed from "protest against corruption" to the snake oil against corruption - "janlokpal bill."

Congress and Kejriwal may have been in an alliance all along.

It's unbelievably clever!! Traditional congress voters will vote for the party. Traditional BJP voters will vote for BJP, which isn't much, since party has no presence in 10 Indian states. The people disillusioned with Congress may have voted for BJP, but they now have an alternative in the form of AAP.

So we may see Congress forming a govt in Centre in 2014 as well!

swati
24-Dec-2013 03:15 AM

Comment
it only proves that majority of Indians are fools and can be taken for a ride by cunning Politian's they will rot in corrupt society.
they have been slaves most of recorded history and will remain so
.

indian abroad
23-Dec-2013 20:26 PM




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