The Aam Aadmi Party came to power barely after two years of its formation. It stem from the movement of India Against Corruption demanding Jan Lokpal Bill. Arvind Kejriwal broke away from Anna Hazare when the later denied direct political involvement in rooting out corruption. Anna is happy to remain an activist whereas Arvind Kejriwal believes in taking a pragmatic step forward. The only option for him was to form a political party. Kejriwal had voiced the inevitability of active political participation. Sit in hunger strike, protest march on the streets and picketing; to Kejriwal and his team, these modes of agitation served a limited purpose. Their demand of Jan Lokpal Bill is impossible without legislative decision. It is pertinent that he had taken a right decision in forming a political party. This mechanical engineer who had held important position at the Indian Revenue Service must have seen corruption at multifarious levels. His decision to leave behind a reputable job to initiate activism on street is extraordinary. Alongside many known names that have earned respect in their own right joined the Aam Aadmi Party. The party smartly uses Social networking service in their campaign. Bright young people who are frustrated with the system joined the party. Thanks to the new media. The angst of the Delhi middle class was turned into votes. Though the party could not reap absolute majority in the 2013 Delhi Assembly election, Sheila Dixit had to vacate the chair. Aftermath: Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party government ended with a forty nine days honeymoon in the capital city of India. Public hearings, what they called ‘Janata Durbar’, was a mega flop. The party failed to scale the overwhelming weight of grievances that the people have been burdening. They failed to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. It has become imperative to note the party’s lack of an ideological mooring. In Kejriwal’s own word, “We are aam aadmis. If we find our solution in the left we are happy to borrow it from there. If we find our solution in the right, we are happy to borrow it from there.” Ideological tenets help in fostering a goal. The goal of a party or a group is guided by the ideology, of how a society should be organised or reorganised. That the most appropriate way or the method to achieve it is also an intrinsic part of an ideology. Political commentators have pointed out that ideological neutrality is itself an ideological pretension. The notion of ordering a society that is contingent merely on commonsense is a fallacy. It should be a lesson that any group or individual who have political ambition should learn. The Aam Aadmi Party is still not clear about its position on many issues. What economic policy do they have? What are its international policies? What about gender and massive unemployment across the country? These questions might have tangential relation with their recent ouster from the Delhi Assembly. But whatever they promised to deliver should have a vision. Ideology should guide it. Back home, how do we read the frog leap of individuals who have no qualms in changing party affiliation?
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