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AAP desperately needs an opposition

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Kishwar Desai
Kishwar DesaiFeb 14, 2015 | 19:23

AAP desperately needs an opposition

Ok, ok, I admit I was wrong . Basically, no one was listening to those of us who had begged Dilliwalas not to vote for the MufflerMan. We were obviously speaking into a void. Or we were talking to ourselves. Because the mood in Delhi had dramatically changed, and the electorate wanted to send out a strong message to the party in power at the centre: the desire for change is constant. Let's give all the new kids on the block a chance! Let the underdog win! Perhaps someone will deliver all the dreams we have been promised!

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All of these themes were common to what we had observed during the Lok Sabha elections. The mood is anti establishment, and the largely young electorate will vote against the status quo-ists. Anyone who wants to come to power will now have to work against the powers that be. And within six months, MufflerMan will be part of the establishment. Where will we go from there? If the Congress or BJP or a new party can become the new rebels, they just might capture the popular mood!

So now one can only pick up the pieces and hope for the best. Can it be true that these new MLAs from AAP will actually bring about sweeping changes? Can this astounding majority bring in good tidings? Once the dust has settled down, only then will we begin to see the reality.

But the worries of one party rule in Delhi cannot be wiped out. Who will scrutinise and monitor the passage of bills? Who will ensure that the best practices are maintained?

In the recent past, when the Narendra Modi government was handed over power by an equally strong majority, people spoke about the lack of opposition. However, an opposition has been cobbled together in the Rajya Sabha. Whether this is going to be constructive or destructive is not clear yet. But at least there is a voice and space for the opposing parties. Many of the losing parties are also looking at using the AAP victory to garner more support and further embarrass the central government.

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Shouldn't they be actually thinking five years ahead, and trying to make up for lost ground, because instead of conceding the opposition space, they should be grabbing back their territory. They should oppose AAP if they want to come back stronger than ever. At least as a strong opposition in Delhi if nothing else!

Zero opposition in Delhi cannot be a good thing. Someone has to critique what the Delhi government wants to do. Otherwise, they can, especially with so many first time legislators, make some serious mistakes.

One enthusiastic supporter told me recently that Delhi is a world class city, and even if AAP did nothing for five years, they would be fine. That seems to be the least optimistic scenario, because the expectations from this party are now sky high. And possibly, no one has any idea how the next few years will pan out, because this is an unknown government, with unknown legislators.

That might be in fact an advantage for AAP but not for very long.

The Delhi voter, in fact, cannot be complacent or complicit. The citizens of Delhi, will now have to play the part of the vigilant opposition, and every move of this government will have to rigorously examined, by the media and the people. By electing inexperienced legislators, we might just have to get into the driving seat.

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As AAP becomes establishment, there was never a better time to launch a new, rebellious party.

Last updated: February 14, 2015 | 19:23
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