Will Anna Hazare 2.0 give us our next Arvind Kejriwal?
The rise of the Aam Aadmi Party within just two years of its formation is truly remarkable. From winning an impressive 28 seats in the 2013 Delhi election, then getting decimated in the Lok Sabha elections and finally winning record 67 seats in the recent Delhi elections, the AAP has had a rollercoaster ride throughout its existence.
Political pundits and analysts cite various reasons for AAP's success. Though they vary from promising freebies and subsidies to Kejriwal's charismatic persona, one common factor which everyone agreed with, was AAP's electoral focus on the three major issues faced by the urban poor in Delhi: Water, electricity and corruption, which helped them edge the BJP out, whose overarching focus on good governance and improving India's global image didn't strike a chord with voters.
The AAP was formed out of the popular India Against Corruption (IAC) movement led by the revolutionary Anna Hazare. Though Hazare intended to keep the movement politically neutral his colleague Kejriwal believed that a direct involvement in politics was necessary to effect change, and in their case, the Jan Lokpal Bill. Consequently, he, along with few of his colleagues, decided to move ahead and launched AAP on November 26, 2012. Although AAP's impressive debut in 2013 and recent success was primarily credited to Kejriwal, but the momentum it gathered, was fundamentally derived from the IAC movement. Though unintentional, but Anna's agitation made the way for alternative politics in India and if one dares to speculate, his next protest, again, has a definite prospect of sowing the seeds for a new political movement.
Anna has announced that he will launch a two-day token agitation on February 23 and 24 against the recently amended land acquisition act by the Centre. Land acquisition for developmental projects is one of the most controversial issues in India, with numerous incidents of tribals and villagers being evicted forcibly and not being given adequate compensation and rehabilitation. The Union government's recent amendment, which has done away with the requirement of consent from Gram Sabhas for acquiring land, has received massive disparagement from civil society groups and activists alike.
Moreover, BJP's crackdown on NGOs and curbing of dissent from activists corroborate the fact that a direct involvement in politics is indeed critical to achieve desired objectives. Given AAP's spectacular success and the widespread support it received from all quarters, social activists would be keen to replicate AAP and enter active politics to fight for their causes. Therefore, Anna's planned agitation; perhaps, will incubate another new chapter in Indian politics, albeit a rural one.
As witnessed, AAP, whose strategic focus on local urban issues helped them win over voters in Delhi, will be a motivation for environmental activists to pursue politics and raise the issues of farmers and rural poor in the political arena.
Interestingly, Anna has forbidden any political party or leader to share the stage with him, but there is a strong likelihood that Anna's agitation may give India its next Arvind Kejriwal. Besides, the amended act, once implemented across states, is bound to create unrest and disenchantment against the BJP in the coming years, and will provide appropriate fodder to fuel the political revolution.