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Delhi Election 2015 Results
What followed under Kejriwal was a masterclass in grassroots politics. "The three main critical views against AAP were identified. We were regarded as bhagora (not interested in governance), too ambitious (aspiring for national prominence without doing local work) and addicted to dharnas (habitual agitationists)," says Ashutosh.
The idea was to address these issues. Kejriwal was clear about going to the people and apologizing for quitting. "People had to be assured that the party had the vision and desire to govern. We'd first coined a slogan: Dilli kahe dil se, Kejriwal phir se. But it didn't address the bhagora issue. So we came up with Paanch saal Kejriwal. This was a statement of intent: We're here for the long haul," he says.
No magic bullet
This time AAP decided to go beyond the Jan Lokpal Bill as a magic cure for all ills. Delhi Dialogues was launched in November. The idea was to create a participatory manifesto following exchanges between experts and common people — professionals, homemakers, youth, residents in JJ clusters and unauthorized colonies — across the city. Dharnas were dumped.
AAP's preparation had depth and detail. Kejriwal attended 110 public meetings. Sources say it was his idea to posit Jagdish Mukhi's face as BJP's CM candidate on the back of autos early on in the campaign though the party had made no such announcement. Kejriwal's cough and muffler had turned into a viral joke. But a cool social media poster titled, Muflerman (sic) Returns: The Corruption Hunter, a take-off from the Hollywood movie, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, turned the joke on its head.
In the national elections, Modi spoke of development. Kejriwal's tirade was more personal. Now roles were reversed. Kejriwal focused on the electorate rather than BJP and forced the rival to a more extreme and negative position. Among other things, he was called "a bandar", "a thief", "toxic" and worse. The AAP leader wasn't pugnacious but didn't back off when pushed.
When Arun Jaitley accused AAP of taking hawalamoney , Kejriwal dared him to arrest him. It was truth or dare. Kejriwal won the face-off.
Social commentator Santosh Desai says this election saw a very different and more substantive Kejriwal. "He avoided confrontation, negative strategies and overtly aggressive postures. He focused on his strengths such as the positive public memory of his 49-day government. People were disappointed and angry with Kejriwal for shirking his duty. Which is different from not being worthy of it. Even his campaign against Kiran Bedi was handled with finesse, restraint, and without malice," says Desai.
"It's a feat building a movement on the middle-class desire for change, their anger against corruption. Then losing out in the national polls, rebuilding your party, reformulating strategy and defeating a party that looked unbeatable," he adds.
People connect
On the last day of campaigning, Kejriwal's grey Innova and his kaafila stop at a red light near North Block. Two young men on bicycles spot him. They rush with cellphones for selfies. It's not a meeting of two voters and an ex-CM. With Kejriwal, there's no fear or pedestal. The distance between a political leader and an ordinary citizen collapses.
A little later, at an informal meeting with journalists, washing down a parantha with chai, the Magsaysay winner smiles and says, "People are greeting me during the campaign as if I'm CM." People are prescient. It is said BJP president Amit Shah had never lost an election he supervised. Arvind Kejriwal showed that there's always a first.
The idea was to address these issues. Kejriwal was clear about going to the people and apologizing for quitting. "People had to be assured that the party had the vision and desire to govern. We'd first coined a slogan: Dilli kahe dil se, Kejriwal phir se. But it didn't address the bhagora issue. So we came up with Paanch saal Kejriwal. This was a statement of intent: We're here for the long haul," he says.
No magic bullet
This time AAP decided to go beyond the Jan Lokpal Bill as a magic cure for all ills. Delhi Dialogues was launched in November. The idea was to create a participatory manifesto following exchanges between experts and common people — professionals, homemakers, youth, residents in JJ clusters and unauthorized colonies — across the city. Dharnas were dumped.
AAP's preparation had depth and detail. Kejriwal attended 110 public meetings. Sources say it was his idea to posit Jagdish Mukhi's face as BJP's CM candidate on the back of autos early on in the campaign though the party had made no such announcement. Kejriwal's cough and muffler had turned into a viral joke. But a cool social media poster titled, Muflerman (sic) Returns: The Corruption Hunter, a take-off from the Hollywood movie, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, turned the joke on its head.
In the national elections, Modi spoke of development. Kejriwal's tirade was more personal. Now roles were reversed. Kejriwal focused on the electorate rather than BJP and forced the rival to a more extreme and negative position. Among other things, he was called "a bandar", "a thief", "toxic" and worse. The AAP leader wasn't pugnacious but didn't back off when pushed.
When Arun Jaitley accused AAP of taking hawala
Social commentator Santosh Desai says this election saw a very different and more substantive Kejriwal. "He avoided confrontation, negative strategies and overtly aggressive postures. He focused on his strengths such as the positive public memory of his 49-day government. People were disappointed and angry with Kejriwal for shirking his duty. Which is different from not being worthy of it. Even his campaign against Kiran Bedi was handled with finesse, restraint, and without malice," says Desai.
"It's a feat building a movement on the middle-class desire for change, their anger against corruption. Then losing out in the national polls, rebuilding your party, reformulating strategy and defeating a party that looked unbeatable," he adds.
People connect
On the last day of campaigning, Kejriwal's grey Innova and his kaafila stop at a red light near North Block. Two young men on bicycles spot him. They rush with cellphones for selfies. It's not a meeting of two voters and an ex-CM. With Kejriwal, there's no fear or pedestal. The distance between a political leader and an ordinary citizen collapses.
A little later, at an informal meeting with journalists, washing down a parantha with chai, the Magsaysay winner smiles and says, "People are greeting me during the campaign as if I'm CM." People are prescient. It is said BJP president Amit Shah had never lost an election he supervised. Arvind Kejriwal showed that there's always a first.
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