(Rana Ayyub is an award-winning investigative journalist and political writer. She is working on a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will be published later this year.)
In an interview to a news channel over the weekend, Kumar Vishwas, poet-turned-leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, tried to defend the cuss words used by party chief Arvind Kejriwal against rivals - the secretly-recorded audio of his invective was leaked by the anti-Kejriwal camp headed by Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. "My father calls me an ullu ka pattha (a swear word for fool) on the phone," said Vishwas, indicating the bizarre new normal of AAP that has crystallized around stings, counter-stings, allegations of forgery and cries of the murder of democracy.
At the airport, while Vishwas's interview played out on TV sets, a bunch of elderly gentlemen shook their heads in disapproval, while others laughed. One said "Yeh bada mazedaar aadmi hai, ekdum public ki zabaan bolta hai" (this man speaks the language of the people); another remarked "Yeh sab politician ek jaise hain, ye Kejriwal bhi sabki tarah nikla" (it turns out all politicians speak the same language, Kejriwal is no different).
The same conflict swept across AAP volunteers and cadres over the weekend, when nearly 400 members met to decide how to settle the war of Arvind Kejriwal vs Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. The Gandhi
topi-sporting cadre fluctuated between moments of extreme joy and vindication to diffidence and suspicion.
Neither Arvind Kejriwal and his team nor the rebels have managed to emerge from the crisis unscathed. Both teams have made a mockery of the faith that was reposed in them not just by intellectuals and activists, but also the
aam aadmi they claimed to represent. Till the Lok Sabha election last year, when Kejriwal put up a brave front against Narendra Modi in Varanasi, the likes of Prashant Bhushan hailed his decision, lauded him in private conversations, called him a man with foresight.
Why is it then that Prashant Bhushan misled the cadre, asked a supporter outside Kejriwal's residence. "If he knew that Kejriwal was encouraging corrupt candidates, was being unethical , was it not his responsibility to let the voter of this country, most importantly, us the party workers know?" he screamed in anger, when asked about the ouster of Bhushan and Yadav from the party's national executive. A supporter of Yogendra Yadav declared, "Why did Kejriwal not sack them before the elections? We were with them because Medha Patkar and Yogendra Yadav were social workers. Kejriwal and gang have turned into lovers of power."
At the meeting held inside, Kejriwal emerged victorious, staying on as Convenor, or top man of the party, after delivering a speech that lashed out at his detractors, but also bore the trademark humility which endeared him to the Dilli
janta.
"I am not here to fight against Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. I accept defeat, you have won. I have come here to end this...This is not
Swaraj or inner party democracy," Kejriwal said, ending his speech with a clear ultimatum: "Today you have to choose between me and them."
What Kejriwal does not realize is that though he may have won "them or me" for now, he has forged an estrangement with the left liberal voter and cadre, which looked at AAP as an option to fill the void created by greatly weakened Left and the Congress. In an ugly internal tug of war, Kejriwal has made the AAP look like a caricature of its own self.
When some intellectuals complained to AAP leaders about the increasing importance of a leader like Kumar Vishwas, who according to them spoke the language of the Indian Right, Kejriwal and team said that the presence of Medha Patkar and Yogendra Yadav in the party should allay that fear. Now, with their exit, the reassurance counts for little. Some have decided to give Kejriwal a little more time, others wonder if the "Modi as PM and Kejriwal as CM" agenda of the AAP leadership was not as far-fetched as it was deemed to be.
There was also the unpleasant manner in which Admiral L Ramdas was sacked as AAP's Lokpal, or ombudsman. He has been used as a symbol of the transparency and probity of AAP leaders during the Delhi election that was swept by the party.
The repercussions for Kejriwal may take time to take effect. The average Delhi resident seems impressed with his delivering on the promise of cheaper water and power. But even if he is focused on just Delhi and is not thinking national, his vision appears limited - why isn't he thinking beyond just this term?
It is this revelation that has disillusioned the AAP supporters across the country, who were willing to work for the party to help it fill the anti-BJP, anti-Congress space in other parts of the country. In a conversation with me on Monday, Prashant Bhushan alleged that Kejriwal had managed to win the Delhi elections with the help of the same corrupt candidates he stood against. "Yes, I would have liked the party to lose Delhi if it meant winning at the cost of compromising our principles. And Kejriwal and his coterie have proved to be a gang of opportunists. Cadres are coming to us and asking us what next, and we will chart out a path soon," he said, while allegedly busy with plans to bring together voices of internal dissent from AAP from across the country on the same stage in the next month.
But will this move work? Will another movement of dissent by the dissenters be a viable alternative to AAP? The future of this movement could well depend on how Kejriwal leads his party in the next few months, and consolidates his image amongst his fans and followers. On the other hand, Bhushan, Yadav and other ideologues will have to realize that politics is a game of maneuvering, timing and smart play if they indeed intend to be in the business. As for the cadre, they have decided to delay a show of their cards till they have more information in this rude show of conflicting ideas and ideals.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.