Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 15
Dramatic end to Arvind Kejriwal’s first brush with governance has given the Congress some reason to cheer in this otherwise challenging political atmosphere ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. “Mission accomplished” is how some party leaders described Kejriwal’s exit from the office of the Delhi CM yesterday.
Though the Congress would have liked the AAP to continue in Delhi till Lok Sabha polls, party strategists are content with the way things have unfolded. They believe they have achieved the foremost objective behind extending outside support to Kejriwal in the Delhi Assembly.
“Kejriwal’s goodwill today is not the same as it was when he assumed charge on December 28. There’s potential downswing. He has become synonymous with non-governance and lack of seriousness in addressing issues concerning people. His resignation is an escape from the failure to deliver on ground. People will see this,” Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said when asked to look back on Congress’ decision to back AAP.
Loss of AAP’s goodwill in Delhi means part recovery of lost voter base for the Congress which would gain if elections were to be held now. In last Delhi polls, the AAP cut into 16 per cent Congress votes as against 3 per cent of BJP’s. But with Kejriwal failing to deliver poll promises like regularisation of contractual workers, welfare of slum-dwellers and real time action against corruption, the Congress hopes to win back some of its traditional elector base.
“The AAP had appealed to two sections, both of which traditionally identify with us - the poor and marginalised and the liberal and forward looking. Both stand dejected. The never before seen across-classes support the AAP got in 2013 polls won’t be repeated now. Moreover, the anti-incumbency Sheila Dikshit faced is over as we have new leadership in Delhi. We would certainly gain,” said a senior Congress leader who advocated extension of outside support to the AAP.
In public perception too, the Congress can take a moral high ground that it continued backing the AAP despite Kejriwal’s desperate and routine provocations. Kejriwal called Rahul Gandhi corrupt; got Delhi’s Anti Corruption Bureau after Sheila Dikshit and recently registered an FIR against Cabinet Minister Veerappa Moily alleging favour to Reliance.
“Kejriwal tried his best to force us into support withdrawal. We didn’t do that. Eventually he escaped on his own. His credibility has been jolted,” Surjewala reasoned.
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