But how long will AAP itself like its government to last? One can trust Kejriwal to resign at the first dead-end he encounters. While he will hope that it will reinforce his claim that he is not anxious to cling to power and add to the halo that is already around him, the risk he would run is to also reinforce the suspicion that AAP is ill-prepared to govern.
In any case, the first few weeks will show whether he wants to last in office or not. If he does rake up contentious issues in the first few weeks in office, it will most certainly be for atmospherics and for preparing the ground for a fresh election — likely to be held along with the general elections this year. If he does resist that temptation, it will indicate a willingness to make the best of a bad bargain, learn the ropes and pave the ground for a more meaningful change in the system.
One also wishes that he had resisted the temptation to set a time-frame for fulfilling his party's poll promises. There is already considerable confusion over AAP's poll promise of supplying 700 litres of water free and a 50 per cent reduction in electricity tariff. It would not have made much difference if he had implemented the promises over the next few months. But he seems to be a vain enough politician to put such store by deadlines and speed in honouring promises to the public, reminiscent of rulers who enjoyed unbridled power in a far less complicated world.
There is also some apprehension of Kejriwal getting embroiled in controversies, given his obsession with honesty worn on his sleeves. A case in point is his appeal to "honest officers" to approach him for assignments and to rat on others. While the bureaucracy ought to be faceless, there would be many who would like to be seen as aligned to the new ruling party. The new chief minister has made it even more difficult for honest officers who prefer to remain faceless. If they approach the chief minister for postings, it will set a bad precedent; and if they don't, they may be seen like a dishonest lot.
Above all, Kejriwal will be watched very closely to see if his populism gets the better of him. While his detractors expect him to announce a slew of welfare programmes and add to the public expenditure, his supporters expect him to act more wisely. An increase in public expenditure in India has almost always led to high leakages, emergence of brokers and little benefit to people at large.
But if he can deliver on his promise of making the administration more transparent, accountable and efficient, he will be breaking free from the past and still be left with enough funds for welfare projects. Delhi being essentially a city state, there is great opportunity to turn around the administration and ensure good public transport, education, universal health and medical care. Just as he has promised to take on the 'water tanker mafia', one would wait to see his government deliver on his promise of affordable housing and crack down on the 'real estate mafia'.
AAP has re-written the rules of electoral politics in India. One waits to see if it can re-write the rules of governance as well.
Uttam Sengupta is a deputy editor of 'Outlook', New Delhi.
Get your own FREE website, FREE domain & FREE mobile app with Company email. | Know More > |
__._,_.___
