Arvind Kejriwal and AAP: The Fall of a ‘Crusader’ and the Death of a Dream of Change
Defeat for other parties is a routine affair, but for AAP, the path to recovery will not be easy. Unlike the BJP and the Congress, the AAP doesn’t have a history to fall back on and learn from the past. The AAP also doesn’t have the institutional memory that is intrinsic for parties to take corrective measures.
The biggest problem with the party is that at a very early stage in its life, it tasted massive success. Within 16 months of the AAP’s inception, Kejriwal became the chief minister of the capital. He became an overnight rockstar in Indian politics – and even seen as a future Prime Minister. His popularity was second only to Modi. But while he became the darling of millions, he was also bitterly envied, not just by rivals but also by his peers.
This will be a test of his mettle. It will not be easy for him to live like an ordinary leader without a government in Delhi. In this election, he didn’t just lose the CM’s post, he is not even an MLA anymore. Can he reconcile with his new reality? Can he change himself to meet the changing needs of the hour? Can he reinvent himself? That is the million-dollar question.
