How AAP is not a game changer in politics

Last week, one of my friends donated Rs. 10,000 to Aam Aadmi Party and posted his certificate of facebook. I posted a comment, which another friend, who is volunteering for AAP didn’t liked and we ended up discussing it over facebook comments. I was critical of AAP (Based on perception) and his adulation to AAP was similar to average BJP supporter’s to Modi (read about Modi being named BJP Prime Ministerial candidate here). He advised me to go to website of AAP and read about them and I did that. First thing that drew my attention was their claim that they are different. They had listed 12 points how they were different- here is what I think how they are not that much different as they claim to be

1. There is no central high command in Aam Aadmi party. The party structure follows a bottom to top approach where the council members elect the Executive Body and also holds the power to recall it.

This is an utopian aim, In every political party it is only members of some committee who elects president, its just that nobody fights against Sonia in Congress and Mulayam in SP. Some political parties like CPM follow this principle pretty much, I believe. No difference between most of the political parties and AAP at least conceptually.

2. No MLA or MP of this party will use red lights or any other beacons on his or her vehicles.

Great.. even law doesn’t permit it (only ministers are permitted), Nothing out of the world if they say we will obey law.

3. No MLA or MP of this party will use any special security. We believe that elected people's representatives need the same security as a common man.

It can appeal to general public, but it is not desirable, Public have spent crores of Rupees to elect MP’s and MLA’s and in modern world security remains a concern specially for VIP’s which MP’s and MLA’s are. I will want my leadership to be secure, But if security for general public is improved, good to see someone talking about it.

4. No MLA or MP of our party will live in opulent and luxurious government housing.

They are state employees (pretty important one) and general HR practices will say you should give best perks to your important employees. Secondly to attract good people to politics you need to have sounds benefits for them. I think this connects to the general perception that politics is not for ambitious people. But we have to understand that leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri are a thing of past. In modern world, politics need to compete with high paying private jobs for best minds. No doubt it is a point of difference but it can prove to be detrimental to the quality of leaders as everybody is not as selfless as Kejriwal is.

5. No one would need to buy an election ticket in our party. Candidates contesting elections from an area will be selected by the people of that area.

No political party will ever claim that its tickets are for sale. Second- Had selection of people been good there will not be any need of AAP or different politics

6. In all political parties today criminals and mafia goons are given election tickets. Such people will never be given tickets in our party. A thorough screening process will ensure that no one with a criminal record or proven corruption charges could stand for elections from our party.

Everybody likes to talk about criminalization of politics. How will you ensure that somebody is not being framed? For example what will happen if tomorrow some random girl accuses Kejriwal of Raping(Congress and BJP surely can get this done). We know police investigation can (will) take years to complete. Of course, Internal screening process will find Arvind innocent. But how that internal screening is different from the internal screening that found Nitin Gadkari and Robert Vadra innocent(They did not conducted any investigation in Vadra’s case but it can always be forged, in his case even Govt. investigation will not find any fault)?

7. This party will function with full financial transparency. Every single rupee collected by donations to run this people's party will be publicly declared on the party's website and all expenditures will also be declared on the website.

This point really stands out. Full marks and respect for it. Though I will like to see the implementation and how AAP will tackle the onslaught of political leaders who will dole out cash for votes during election.

8. Every member of the Aam Aadmi party will have to follow a strict internal code of conduct or internal Lokpal. This independent body will be headed by 3 jurists and other eminent personalities with impeccable public records and will investigate charges of corruption, crime, substance abuse and moral turpitude against all office bearing members of the party. Any citizen can present proof of wrongdoing against a party member. If internal Lokpal finds the party member guilty, he or she will be subjected to appropriate disciplinary action as decided by the internal Lokpal.

Please see concern raised in point 6.

9. No two members of the same family will be eligible to contest elections in our party and no two members of the same family can become members of the Executive Body.

Very fresh approach. But on a cautious note what if 2 very capable people are from same family. We see it in many other fields Cinema, sports. even in politics Karats (Vrinda and Prakash (Karat’s) are both good).

10. Today we give our vote to a candidate, he or she wins the election, and then they disappear from our life. Today most elected representatives make no time to listen to the problems of their constituents. And in the current electoral system, the people have no choice but to suffer this candidate for 5 years. We want to create an alternative. We will enact a Right to Reject law wherein the common man does not have to wait for 5 years to remove a corrupt MLA or MP from office. People can complain to the election commission anytime to recall their representative and call for fresh elections.

This is very interesting. Right to reject will be a great step forward though penalties to contestants if “none of them” gets maximum votes needs to be debated. But right to recall is an absurd utopian idea. What if some opposition party members or sympathisers keep on going to EC every say 3 months. In this case will we have elections every 3 months? No, I assume the answer will be. We still will have to define at least some minimum tenure for elected person which is 5 year now. If we reduce it than the question will be how much? Also, Frequent elections will means complete hibernation of state machinery during election time. Its good that AAP have good intent here but right to recall is impractical and utopian idea

11. Aam Aadmi Party is fully committed to the principles of gender equity and will represent women and students amply at all levels of party organisation.

Women are already occupying important posts in most of mainstream national parties. Sonia Gandhi, Sushma Swaraj, Mayawati being example. Bringing in students is refreshing but they come with a baggage of lack of experience. Still worth trying.  

12. Aam Aadmi Party is committed to the principles of justice for all and will coopt representatives from the Dalit and other minority segments of society at all levels of party organisation.

Same, all parties at least talk about that and some have good record as well.

The conclusion of this whole analysis is while AAP brings a few (not as many as they claim in political rhetoric) points of difference at the time of inception. It needs to be seen whether they are able to carry it through elections where differences gets buried deep in cash and liquor voters demand. Some of the readers especially AAP supporters will find me cynic but experience with politics in this nation have taught average Indian including me not to build high hopes. We have seen generational shift changing so called “Party with a difference” in “Party with differences”.