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National Alternative

 AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is on a roll. With the success in Punjab, well deserved at that, behind him, Kejriwal is truly expressing national ambitions. In conversation with Sanket Upadhyay on NDTV Townhall on 16th September 2022, Kejriwal made it very clear that AAP wants to win the next general election on its own. His aversion to coalition or even working with other opposition parties was amply articulated. Negotiating some tough questions, Kejriwal showed his true self. He not only looks like the politicians he despices but is increasingly talking their language. With couple of successes in Delhi behind, Kejriwal ably glossed over some sharp criticism of his style of functioning and the ability of AAP to rely only on providing a few, but important, services as the basis for national alternative.

There is a need for an alternative at the national level. Two party system is important for a functional democracy. No true opposition at the centre has been a bane for democratic functioning. Without a credible alternative, the party in power will keep on having an advantage at the polls. A strong alternative looks difficult at the present moment with Congress still grappling with internal issues and regional parties not able to come together under a single umbrella. So, the roadmap of AAP to go it alone in the next parliamentary election is not a wise decision, if providing an alternative government at the centre is the objective. 

Kejriwal is ambitious but he has to understand that winning in states is different from winning at the national level. There is also an allegation that AAP does well at the cost of Congress and is replacing the Grand Old Party in many states like Delhi, Punjab and maybe Gujarat. But it still begs for cautions. AAP may end up winning 20-30 parliamentary seats and dent the chances of Congress to be a fulcrum for regional parties to come together. There is also the issue of other regional leaders having national ambitions. Mamata and Nitish in particular but also KCR and Stalin are in the race. But none of them on their own can hope to reach anywhere close to the midway mark. They need each other and that is difficult to imagine unless there is a jolt for some of these parties.

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