Table of contents

A new political force

Kejriwals party symbolises audacity of hope over experience Kejriwal takes political plunge with people-centric party Vision doc: Kejriwal is high on idealism, short on ideas New topis prove Kejriwals party is all about Aam Aadmi 04 06 07 09

Can Kejriwal succeed?

Can Arvind Kejriwal change the system by joining politics? Mr Kejriwal, give us a new brand of politics please Why Arvind Kejriwal deserves our unstinted support Is Kejriwals target of the Delhi 2013 polls too optimistic? 12 13 15 17

Politician or Protestor?
Six reasons why Arvind Kejriwal makes a bad politician Can Arvind Kejriwal change politics with populist rhetoric? Kejriwal calls for public debate on Kudankulam Kejriwal, Bhushan charged with provoking public 20 22 24 25

The Anna factor

The Anna-Arvind divorce: Competing tales of a celebrity breakup Dirty politics: Kejriwal must prove Anna wrong Anna backs Kejriwal, not his political party Anna vs Arvind: A right-left divide? Anna-ji, Kejriwal-ji, please work out a pilot concept first 27 29 31 32 34

A new political force

Kejriwals party symbolises

audacity of hope over experience
Kejriwals party may or may not succeed in its promise of change, but so long as he and his followers can offer a realistic alternative template for governance, they will contribute, even if only on the margins, to shaping a marginally better political culture.

Venky Vembu, Oct 3, 2012 followers that while our political system may not be perfect far from it, in fact it can always be perfected. It is also significant for one other reason. Along with Anna Hazare, Kejriwal came to represent for much of last year a widely shared cynicism of the prevailing political culture, which can be encapsulated in the sab neta chor hain mentality. That Kejriwal wants to wade into the political muck, where the rules of the game are hopelessly weighted against new entrants like himself, and work for change from within the system is worthy of admiration.

very new birth represents the triumph of hope over sordid experience. We may be convinced that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, but as a civilization and as individuals, we still propagate our species, which would be a perverse infliction on the new-born if we didnt genuinely believe that the next generation will be better off than our own. In that sense, the birth of a new political party on Tuesday, which represents the metamorphosis of one strand of the India Against Corruption platform under Arvind Kejriwal into a political entity, too symbolises an optimism among its

After all, its far easier to bang away on pots and pans at streetcorners and whip up anti-establishment rage than it is to get your hands dirty and be the change you want to see in the world. At the very fundamental level, the advent of a party that wants to dramatically change the political culture by making it more accountable to the aam aadmi represents a healthy churn and a striking contrast to our mainstream parties, which today symbolise the status quo and are only too happy to wallow in the stagnant waters of a corrupted polity. Every party mouths platitudes about the need for electoral reforms, but since theyve effectively gamed the system to their advantage, there is very little incentive for them to change. Kejriwals party may or may not succeed in its promise of change, but so long as he (and his followers) can offer a realistic alternative template for governance, they will be contributing, even if only on the margins, to shaping a marginally better political culture. But the audacity of hope that Kejriwals as-yetunnamed party represents must be tempered by wisdom and reason. In his comments on Tuesday, Kejriwal promised to change the system within a fortnight of being voted to power. Again, that sentiment too symbolises audacity, but its a dishonest promise-the-moon kind of audacity that does little to acknowledge the challenge of change that he will doubtless face. Kejriwal is manifestly looking to ride the revolution of rising expectations of a constituency that is jaded by the prevailing political culture, and in particular the pervasive presence of corruption all around. But in promising instant political nirvana within a fortnight of being voted to power, he may be setting himself up for a revolution of rising frustrations in the future. It requires rather more courage to say that the battle is going to be long and arduous; in this aspect, Kejriwal is only saying what he reckons his audience wants so desperately to hear, however unrealistic his promises may seem. The new partys worldview as outlined in its Vision Document - also represents at one level an economic philosophy that will position it even further to the left of the political spectrum

than Mamata Banerjee, who as everyone knows is looking to out-Left the Left. The economic sentiments embodied in the Vision Document show an inadequate appreciation of what has held India back from realising its potential in the 60-plus years since independence. In that sense, at least, Kejriwals party represents the worst kind of unthinking pandering to the lowest common denominator of populism. And since no mainstream political party has the courage of conviction to make a cogent case against such mindlessness, Kejriwal will only be contributing to a downward spiral of competitive populism. Perhaps Kejriwals economic worldview will evolve over time, but it seems far more likely that it will be bogged down by ideological rigidity. But in swinging so far to the left of the political spectrum, his party will only be entering a crowded trade, one where the prospects of returns are minimal. Kejriwals party is evidently looking to make a splash in the Delhi Assembly elections of next year. Given the BJPs failure to capitalise on the Congress governments many failings, it does open up the space for a third political entity. But even so, Kejriwals fledgling party faces formidable odds, being the newest kid on the block, about whom not much is known as yet. But rather than set itself up as a party of governance in just one election, it should position itself in the short term as a giant killer by targeting specific constituencies with big-name candidates from mainstream parties. That should give it the liftoff it needs if it is to distinguish itself in a crowded field and be taken seriously as a party thats in it for the long haul. Welcome to the murky world of politics, Kejriwal. However flawed your economic worldview may be, our political system needs people who can shake things up a bit from time to time. Heres hoping that you will never lose your sense of idealism but always have the maturity to learn.

with people-centric party

Arvind Kejriwal has officially taken the plunge into politics with the aim of changing the existing political system to a more people-centric one.
Danish Raza, Oct 2, 2012 These included ensuring power to the people, fighting corruption, containing inflation, promoting education, introducing the right to reject and right to recall, as well as fair prices for farm products. According to the document, citizens will be able to suggest probable candidates for the political party which will then be scrutinised by a screening committee. Short-listed names will be put on the Internet for people to comment. Once the candidate is finally selected, he or she will have to take a vow saying among other things, that they will not accept or travel in vehicles with red beacons, and will not reside in government allotted bungalows. Commenting on the partys ideology, Kejriwal said, While many people say that direct power to the people is a weird idea, I can say with all confidence that this is very much possible. We are working on a model for this and will implement the same if elected to power. In the backdrop of differences with Anna Hazare over the anti- graft movement turning political, volunteers at todays event ensured that there were no Main bhi Anna and Main bhi Arvind slogans at the venue. Anna caps were replaced by the caps with Main hun aam aadmi (I am common man), highlighting the peoplecentric objectives of the party. Kejriwal also upped the ante against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, with an eye on assembly elections scheduled for 2013. He announced that on 7 and 8 October, he would organise protests in Delhi against the hike in water and power tariffs. He also threatened to conduct a gherao of her residence if the tariff was not withdrawn.

Kejriwal takes political plunge

ew Delhi: It pays to get your feet dirty, they say. Ten years after he launched Parivartan, an NGO in North East Delhi, to bring transparency to government schemes in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal has entered politics with the stated objective of changing the system.

It has been an interesting ten years for the exIRS officer from Hisar. The interim period saw him working for the RTI Act, engineering the Jan Lokpal movement with Anna Hazare, and then finally losing the support of the veteran activist when he made the decision to go political. Kejriwal and his associates released the draft vision document of their political party at Delhis Constitution Club. The party name, the final vision document and party constitution will be announced on 26 November. Explaining the reason behind his political foray, Kejriwal said,There was a time when people who fought elections were considered patriots. Now, such people are seen as hungry for power. We have to change this scenario. The nine point draft vision document contained the objectives of the soon to be launched party.

Vision doc: Kejriwal is high on

idealism, short on ideas

The vision document does not provide us the complete worldview of the proposed party. But lets give Kejriwal a chance.
Akshaya Mishra, Oct 2, 2012

he vision document of Arvind Kejriwals party could well be a straight lift from a schoolboys fantasy of an ideal democracy. But lets indulge him for now. The most likeable quality in school children is innocence. Indian politics needs that innocence, that redeeming touch. If Kejriwal and his colleagues manage even a minor change, its welcome. The document is full of idealism. Thats a good starting point. Its impractical and unpragmatic, and the criticism has started trickling in. Point accepted. You can never have people deciding prices of essential commodities. You cannot have big decisions made at street corner meet-

ings. You cannot simply ignore the economics of a hike in diesel and electricity prices. When you rule a state or a country you cannot have a narrow, community-centric focus. But idealism has always been beyond considerations of practicality and pragmatism. Its a benchmark people looking for change set for themselves. On a broader canvass, its the definition of a civilisational goal. The Constitution of India is a vision document for the country for all practical purposes. That the politicians have failed the ideals intrinsic to it is another matter. Idealism serves as the moral compass for the collectivity whether its the community or the

nation. Kejriwal is cutting no corners here. He leaves nothing open-ended. He gives no hint that he will be open to self-serving compromises in future if the situation demands. Yes, the method he proposes to adopt to bring down electricity prices and tackle other issues looks anarchic, thus dangerous. But lets give him time. He is out to launch a political party. He will eventually mellow down responsibility does that to everybody. If he is programmed to self-destruct, then nobody can help him. The vision document seeks to demolish all the symbols of a flawed democracy. It says there will be no red beacons atop the cars of his members if they are elected to an assembly. He says they will accept no security for themselves or official bungalows. There are practical reasons why security is provided to some elected representative and why bungalows are allotted to them. But over the decades these have come to symbolise the power of the political class and the status differentiator between the politically powerful and the common man, who the former is supposed to be representing. While addressing the rally in New Delhi, Kejriwal announced that his party, if elected to power, would pass a Lokpal Bill within 10 days. Its part

of the vision document too. The document also has the demand of Right to Reject and Recall on top of its agenda. It would help if the team backing him stops being obstinate about these demands and starts a genuine debate over them. The Lokpal agitation last year was a failure as Team Anna refused to listen to arguments unpalatable to it. Kejriwal must make his party more inclusive and open to ideas. However, the vision document does not provide us the complete worldview of the new party. It appears too eager to create an immediate vote bank of common people at the cost of other significant sections. It does not tell us how the party will manage to strike a balance between several conflicting interests within society. Thats where the skills of true politicians come in. It wants a rollback of electricity tariffs but offers no solution on how power utilities will manage business without periodic hikes. It wants the diesel price hike rolled back but offers no solution as to how the country is going to manage the growing subsidy burden. It does not offer any new ideas for the economy. But lets ignore the lapses. Its just the beginning. Political parties take long to develop and find coherent points of view. Right now we will accept the school boyish fantasy. Best of luck to Kejriwal.

New topis prove Kejriwals

party is all about Aam Aadmi

Arvind Kejriwal wore a different version of the Anna topi at the launch of his political party. Naresh Sharma/ Firstpost

Kejriwals supporters wearing the new topis that say Main hoon Aam Aadmi. Naresh Sharma/ Firstpost

Arvind Kejriwal on stage with IAC activists, announcing the launch of his new political party. Naresh sharma/ Firstpost

Many among Kejriwals supporters - numbering 500 at first, but swelling to 1200 in a few hours asked if Anna would be joining them. Naresh Sharma/ Firstpost

Can Kejriwal succeed?

the system by joining politics?

Does Team Kejriwal have it in them to take the leap from a movement to a party that will help them juggle popular support with long term political goals?
FP Staff, Oct 3, 2012

Can Arvind Kejriwal change

rom the shrill, oft-quoted rhetoric of accusing politicians of corruption, Arvind Kejriwal is now the next political leader in the making, and announced his foray into politics by making promises and asking people to pick him over existing political leaders. But, does Arvind Kejriwal and his band of followers have it in them to engage in democratic politics? Is an honest anger against the malaise and corruption in the political establishment the only basis for a political party? The fight against corruption cant be the only thing for a political party. A political party is a party of governance. They should have a positive agenda. Right now, Arvinds idea of bringing power to the people sounds like rhetoric, said Harish Salve, Former Solicitor General of India, told CNN-IBN. Salve said there was presently a lot of disjunction between what what is required in political

parties, and what they stand for. However, noted psephologist Yogendra Yadav, who has also been openly backing Kejriwals initiative, says this situation is the result of a time lag in understanding language of a movement and a party Anger alone is counter-productive. But then given our history of sangharsh (struggle) in politics, thinking of governance alone could spell the death of politics, Yadav, member of IAC and senior fellow at Centre for Developing Societies in Delhi, said. . When asked how IAC was planning to fight elections, Yogendra Yadav said that it would be unfair to believe that they would win elections in a day. We want to know whether small political parties can change the rules of the game, he said.

a new brand of politics please

The activist should avoid being part of the herd. He must carve out a distinct political space for himself.
Akshaya Mishra, Sep 24, 2012

Mr Kejriwal, give us

f Arvind Kejriwals politics is going to be about protesting against electricity tariff hikes and hitting the streets over diesel prices, he should stay away from forming a political party. There are so many political parties doing that already and we know they are being hypocritical about the hikes. No one wants Kejriwal to start off as a hypocrite. Indian politics needs fresh ideas. It needs leaders who think original, behave original and have the courage to speak the truth. It requires followers who are intelligent and ask questions, not professional tyre burners and slogan shout-

ers. Theres a need to wean people away from intellectual slavishness to parties while discussing politics. If Kejriwal cannot promise a new brand of politics and a new political discourse he is a waste of time. When Kejriwal made clear his intention to enter politics, he inspired hope. His Lokpal idea was mostly foolish and the way he went about it was disgusting but still he was acceptable since he had an idea to offer and his intentions did not look spurious. He proved to the world, albeit for a short time, that the power of the people could be bigger than the combined might of the politi-

cal class. The middle class loved him since he spoke their language, voiced their insecurities and concerns. He is an educated man with a bright record as civil society activist. And most his comrades in the anti-corruption crusade are people with impeccable backgrounds. He inspired trust. Thats the reason when Kejriwal decided he was going to enter politics and be part of the system to change it, it was welcomed. He was going to be the change Indian politics needed, that was the general feeling. However, there are clear indications now that he is going to be no different from other political parties. In his present avatar, how is he different from a Mamata Banerjee or the Left or any other party demanding a rollback of diesel prices or the electricity tariff hike in Delhi? Being populist is the shortest cut to establishing oneself as a politician, but being populist for the sake of it all the time is irresponsible too. All the parties are being irresponsible. One expected Kejriwal to be different. But he seems to be in an undue hurry to make his mark as a politician. So far we havent heard anything original from him on the economy or other areas. He is yet to come up with any constructive idea for nationbuilding. His followers presumably educated and thus more aware than their counterparts in other parties look no different from Congress

thugs in Odisha lighting bonfires on the street. His civil disobedience movement in Delhi asking people not to pay electricity bills is a parody of the original movement as was the series of fasts Team Anna, of which he was one the most prominent leaders till recently, indulged in during their Lokpal fight. The followers of Kejriwal, if they are allowed to, must question what this is all about. He would win more appreciation if he insists on a CAG audit of discoms, known to be the hub of corruption. This will help bring the truth out and reinforce his image as an intelligent activist-politician. Probably it would suit Kejriwal best if he remained an activist-politician, strictly in that order an activist first and a politician next. The more he talks about real issues and the more he provides original solutions, the more distinct and respectable as a politician he would be. The country needs good ideas. By following the rest of the herd, Kejriwal runs the risk of losing his own independent identity. He requires to create a specific space for himself if he is serious about politics. Anna Hazare, a much more mature person, possibly foresaw this eventuality and thus carefully separated himself from Kejriwals political adventure. This is the beginning. The latter must plan his moves well.

our unstinted support

Change can be expected only when those who habitually dont vote do so by the thousands.
Abhay Vaidya, Sep 22, 2012 seem Trivedis controversial cartoon depicting the Indian Parliament as a stinking commode with flies hovering around it, successfully captures the common mans anger and frustration with the politicians of the day. The cartoon controversy and the drama following the sedition charge on Trivedi erupted at a time when the nations most prominent anti-corruption movement had suffered a vertical split. The fundamental point of difference between the leader of the Jan Lokpal movement, Anna Hazare and the movements prime architect, Arvind Kejriwal, was over the issue of

Why Arvind Kejriwal deserves

formation of a political party. While Kejriwal was in favour of establishing a political party to fight elections, Anna wanted his movement to be apolitical and the two decided to go their separate ways. Now, the movement has separated. One will go the political way while the other will take the movement route. Both these routes are important. The paths are different but the goals are same, Hazare said in Delhi clarifying matters and ending speculation once and for all. This ends the Jan Lokpal movement as it existed. Team Anna stands disbanded and the famil-

iar sight of a fasting Anna flanked by Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia the father-son Bhushans and others at Jantar Mantar with Kiran Bedi waving the flag rhythmically is now a thing of the past. Although many feel disillusioned with the way the movement has dissipated and disintegrated, some of its spectacular successes wont be forgotten easily. Among the most captivating was the Sense of the House resolution adopted by Parliament in August 2011 accepting in principle some of the demands of the Lokpal movement. Eventually, the manner in which the movement was outwitted by the politicians and the high expectations created by the 247 media coverage also brought with it many valuable lessons. While Hazare is determined to fight his battles apolitically as he has done all his life Kejriwal is not entirely wrong in wanting to establish a political party. After all, politicians get their power from the votes cast by the people and if the people truly want to bring a change, theres no alternative but to go and cast ones vote. If the politicians of the day have reduced Parliament to a dirty commode, as conveyed by the cartoonist, can one expect the politicians to clean it themselves? The people have no choice but to undertake this task themselves. A large section of the middle class keeps away from politics because it is dirty. There is, however, no alternative and as Mahatma Gandhis follower and leader of the Bhoodan movement, Vinoba Bhave asked, who is dirty, the one who makes dirt or the one who cleans it? If the Indian people truly want better politicians to represent them in parliament, theres really no easy way out but to take the difficult road of electoral politics and electoral reforms. The first and foremost step in this direction

is to exercise the democratic responsibility of casting ones vote. Change can be expected only when those who habitually dont vote do so by the thousands. Wearing I am Anna caps or participating in candlelight marches and vigils may result in good photo-ops for the media. But this wont achieve anything substantial as when the same number of people go out and vote for a better candidate in the elections. The reality of Indian politics is such that it is heavily tilted in favour of career politicians backed by various political parties, their ideologies and caste compulsions and who use money to influence votes. How else can one explain the success of a host of regional parties across the country, right down to the newest kid on the blockRaj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena which has made impressive electoral gains? Clean candidates, even of the stature of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or Defence Minister AK Antony, need the support of a political party to enter Parliament. They can rarely make it on their own howsoever earnest or deserving as say the ex-IAS officer Arun Bhatia who lost bitterly in two Lok Sabha elections in Pune. Bhatia ran a crusade against corruption for three decades while in office but lost to tainted Congressman Suresh Kalmadi during the 2004 and 2009 polls. Who is to be blamed for sending Kalmadi to Parliament? It is primarily those who did not step out to vote and then those who felt he was the best candidate from Pune. How much longer will the Indian middle class continue to endorse online petitions or forward chain mails from the comforts of their home or office rather than get down to voting during the elections? Kejriwal deserves our support because this is what he is trying to change.

Is Kejriwals target of the

Delhi 2013 polls too optimistic?
Despite discontent, peoples candidates have always fared badly because voters feel that despite the corruption parties like the Congress and BJP can get things done. Can Kejriwal break this mindset?

n the evening of 3 August, shortly after Anna Hazare and his associates called off their agitation at Jantar Mantar, a lean, bearded man in his early 20s, wearing a black kurta and rectangular rim sheet spectacles scribbled these words on a white board at the venue- Team Anna should take back the decision of launching a political alternative.

Danish Raza, Sep 6, 2012 demanding the Lokpal Bill. His search found him Anna Hazare, former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, social activists Medha Patkar, Rajendra Singh, Akhil Gogoi, former cop Kiran Bedi, and senior lawyers Prashant and Shanti Bhushan- names which would become synonymous with the Lokpal Bill. Now Kejriwal is busy searching for like-minded people again. But this time for his political alternative. He is aware of churning in his supportbase post 3 August. Not only has he lost the support of five of the above mentioned public figures, aam aadmi such as Trivedi are also hesitant to accept the social activist in his politician avatar. Arvind jee spoke to me on phone over his decision to go political. Even today, I am with Arvind, the individual, but I dont support his political alternative, said Trivedi. Kejriwal also realizes that community leaders who mobilised masses for agitations at Jantar Mantar will not necessarily have the skills and influence to change the voting patterns of the same set of people. Hence he is busy creating a fresh, politically charged cadre of volunteers. As they will work for the political alternative, one can assume that these volunteers and grassroot workers share Kejriwals political ideologies- all political parties are equally corrupt; politicians should not live in bungalows; citizens dont pose a threat to political leaders; people should have the power to make laws and it is time to topple the government. These are people who recognize Kejriwals work both before and after the Jan Lokpal agitation. They will become volunteers at assembly, ward

But the odds were against him. Look, they have broken the board, Aseem Trivedi, resident of Kanpur and IAC supporter since April 2011 said, pointing to the wooden pieces lying on the road around 100 meters away from the stage on which the members of now disbanded Team Anna were sitting. Arvind Kejriwal would not go back on his announcement of testing the political water. His immediate goal is the Delhi assembly polls 2013. He wants his political party, scheduled to be announced on 2 October, to replace Shiela Dikshits Congress government. In the winter of 2010, Kejriwal was searching for like- minded people to work towards

and booth levels. Each volunteer at booth level will be responsible for 15- 20 houses in a locality. One of the IAC members told me that volunteers for 55 of the 70 assembly seats in Delhi have been identified. The battery of volunteers will contribute crucially in throwing up peoples candidates through a mechanism which is yet to be finalized. However history indicates that people dont have affinity for peoples candidates. One recent example is ex- Army officer Sangeeta Tomar who contested the 2009 parliamentary polls from East Delhi on a ticket of Youth for Equality (YFE), an organization known for its anti reservation stand. Tomar, an IIM Indore graduate, was chosen from 53 contenders through a process which involved an interview, group discussion, voting by residents and open house debates. Yet she could not win the seat. Voters think that despite all the problems in national parties such as BJP and Congress, they can get the work done. They are apprehensive about selecting someone who has no political background, said Dr Kaushal Kant Mishra, president, YFE, about Tomars defeat. Delhi has always been a BJP- Congress fight. Only when representatives of a new political party are present in the voters mind 24X7 as someone who can get things done, they can expect to leave a mark, said Dr Kaushal. If the new political alternative is going to adopt a screening process to select its candidates, YFE offers a lesson. The political alternative, which will be named Anna Party in all likelihood, need not look far for issues to challenge Delhis incumbent chief minister. Erstwhile Team Annas political venture will

foray in to Delhis political scenario at a time when the state CM is serving her third term, but her party is drawing flak for being part of some of the biggest scams in Indias history. Plus the BJP does not have a potential chief ministerial candidate, despite winning municipality elections in Delhi. In fact the Indian Express notes that defeat in Delhi should be a warning for the Congress leadership because Delhi was considered a stronghold. While asking for votes, Kejriwals party will likely bank on the same three issues it harped on during successive Jan Lokpal agitationsCoalgate, 2G and CWG- all instances on which the Centre has found itself on the back foot. During Lokpal agitations at Jantar Mantar and Ramlila ground, Kejriwal and his aides used to decipher these scams to the gathering. After the 26 August demonstration, he told his supporters, We wanted to tell the Prime Minister that coal has been stolen from the country. But the police harassed us. It is like the situation when a theft has taken place in your house for which you want police to lodge an FIR. But police arrest you. He draws such parallels to reach out to masses. With or without oratory skills, the person in a major hurry, as Venkatesh Nayak, senior member of NCPRI describes him for Caravan magazine, must realise that forming political party means a long haul. It needs sustained efforts. This is because a political establishment is not democratic but has deep roots. It will be interesting to see if Kejriwals association with Anna Hazare, the Jan Lokpal and the India Against Corruption movement will be deep enough for Delhis voters.

Politician or Protestor?

makes a bad politician

Arvind Kejriwal on television these days is everything a politician should not be. He actually comes across as reasonable, sincere and open to admitting mistakes. But will that spell success in a political career?
Sandip Roy, Aug 28, 2012 rvind Kejriwal, on the streets of Delhi, seems to be spoiling for a fight, especially one in full view of television cameras. Arvind Kerjiwal, on the stage of Jantar Mantar, seems dour and doctrinaire, egging the crowds on with all the charm of a drill master. Much has been written about his cunning and ambition, the darkly sulking strategist who turned Team Anna into Team Arvind. But all that was about Arvind Kejriwal, the strident humourless activist. Now he has a new avatar, as Kejriwal the politician. Watching him on the hot seat as Newsmaker of the Day with Rajdeep Sardesai, one senses he will be a rather unusual politician. And thats not just because of his politics. Its because he breaks almost every rule in the handbook of A Successful Netas Guide to Going on Television.

Six reasons why Arvind Kejriwal

Sonia Gandhi telling her beleaguered Congresswallahs that there is no reason for them to be defensive as if all Coalgate needs is a good Nirma scrubbing. And we have Mamata who never admits to ever having been wrong about anything cartoons, FDI, Maoists, rape, Mulayam Singh Yadav. At an appearance at Thinkfest last year, when asked about Team Anna leaders who claimed that Jan Lokpal is perfect and should be passed as is, Kejriwal said: I completely concede this. Some people on the stage have said that and it is not correct. When was the last time you heard a politician say, I completely concede this? They usually dont even want to concede elections. Answer no questions. Party spokespersons seem to be appointed on their ability to grandstand with talking points when asked a question they dont want to answer (which is pretty much everything they are ever asked). Most of the time they dont answer anything and just end up using the press as a way to ask questions of the opposition. Kejriwal actually answers the question that he has been asked. Sure, he has his talking points but he doesnt use them to evade the question at hand. When asked about Kiran Bedi he talks about Kiran Bedi. He does not just say, The issue is not whether Kiranji has a particular point of view and go on to his talking points. He does not deny the difference in opinion even if he claims it is overplayed. Dont betray any evolution in thinking. Politicians like to be omniscient. They deliver wisdom like oracles. Kejriwal actually tries to show evolution in his own thinking. Politicians rarely want to admit to that because that car-

Concede nothing. Arvind Kejriwal does not seem to know the cardinal rule in politics is concede nothing, admit no wrongdoing, pretend your U-turns were not U-turns. So we have

ries embedded in it an admission of the fact that they might have been wrong at some point. But Kejriwal is open about admitting that at one time he thought the Congress, as the ruling party, was the fount of all corruption, but now he has come to the conclusion that all parties have their foundation in corruption and none of them is really going to deliver a genuine Lokpal. What comes out clearly in the last one-anda-half years is you cannot get a Lokpal Bill out of the present set of political parties, you cant get a Lokpal Bill put of a political establishment whose foundation is corruption, he says. Ooze sincerity. You can say he is impractical, that by tarring the Congress and BJP and Lalu and Mulayam with the same brush he is leaving his Lokpal Bill, as Sardesai points out, completely isolated. But the man does manage to sound sincere and reasonable, which is no mean feat for politicians. Thats because he does not try to talk over the anchor. He does not shout or hector or wag his fingers. If anything he sounds a bit like a patient schoolmaster. That is what I am saying, he says patiently as he explains his point of view all over again. Most of all, in the midst of all this media hysteria about the rift in Team Anna, he sounds perfectly sincere when he says, with a rather disarming smile, he thinks Kiran Bedi is an amazing person. Namedrop your leader incessantly. Congress-wallahs having learned well from Indira Gandhi days to drop their leaders name as if reciting the Gayatri mantra. Everyone follows suit

now whether its Ammas MPs or Didis men. Trinamool MPs probably go to some class that teaches them how to insert Didis name everywhere so that no matter what sound bite ends up on television, her name is embedded in it. Arvind Kejriwal also takes Annas name but he does not wave it around like a flag and he does not pretend to be his humble servant. In fact, at his interview in Thinkfest, he had no compunctions about saying Anna is not India. India is not Anna. India is much bigger than that. Exude chumminess. In a media culture where television anchors often go out of their way to show off their closeness to their VIP guests, and guests reciprocate with a cocktailcircuit chumminess, Kejriwal shows no such social climbing skills. He does not appear extra chatty with his hosts, dropping their names every two lines, he tries to score no brownie points with them, gives off no aura that he is about to go join them for a drink at the club right after the interview. He flashes his grin not for his journalist host but when he talks about Kiran Bedi as his elder sister. All of this actually makes for television that does not give you an instant headache. This might well be his winning card as he goes into retail politics. You can disagree with the guy and his tactics but you can actually listen to him and feel like you could have a conversation with him. Thats a rare quality in any politician. But whether that makes for a successful politician in India is, of course, another story altogether.

politics with populist rhetoric?

Arvind Kejriwal has dismissed the opposition protests against the diesel hike as drama but his rhetoric is not too far behind.
rvind Kejriwal is making progress as a politician. In a recent outburst against political parties that are raising a shindig over the diesel price hike, Kejriwal declared the protests as little more than drama. He said: The parties have begun their drama. They will now shout and scream. After threefour days of protest, the government will reduce price by Re 1. Then everybody will fall silent this script has been enacted so many times, The Indian Express quoted Kejriwal as saying. We are happy Kejriwal has chosen to expose this aspect of how political parties manage reactions to painful economic decisions, but what are his solutions that would not equally amount

Can Arvind Kejriwal change

R Jagannathan, Sep 15, 2012 to drama? An ANI report shows Kejriwal criticising Mamata Banerjee and the BJP for raising a banner of revolt over diesel prices without doing what is in their power to reduce them. We demand that if Mamata Banerjee and the BJP are, in a true sense, serious that the price of diesel should be reduced, then why do they not lower the Rs 5 state tax on diesel in the states ruled by them? he added. Again, this is important to show the two-facedness of the opposition parties, but what is Kejriwal really battling for here? That states should give away revenues in the case of an overused and depleting fossil fuel like oil when he is all

for auctioning other natural resources like coal, which will anyway raise prices? If he is all for the poor, wouldnt it be more logical to allow the better off to pay market prices for diesel of LPG and directly subsidise only the real poor? Listen to him on another related issue: concessions to the rich. You can allocate coal blocks for free. But we dont have money for giving it to the common man. Rs 13 lakh crore (of) tax concessions (have been) given to corporates in (the) last three years. Cant government give a Rs 37,500 crore subsidy on LPG? One of the well-worn techniques used by politicians is to contrast irrelevant ideas with emotive ones to score brownie points with the masses. But the distinction between the poor, who need to be subsidised, and the not-so-poor, who need not, is erased in the process. The coal block allocation is a scam in itself that needs no juxtapositioning with cooking gas prices. Even if there was no scam in the allocations, the issue of cooking gas subsidies would still have to be tackled. A big chunk of the Rs 37,500 crore of LPG subsidies is paid to the rich and middle classes (have you heard of any below-poverty line people using gas to cook?). So limiting it to six cylinders is a fair enough compromise, though it will create another avenue for corruption. This is what Kejriwals India against Corruption should be protesting about (more opportunities for corruption), not the reduction in entitlements to subsidy. (If you are poor, are you likely to use more than one cylinder in two months?) As for the so-called Rs 13 lakh crore tax concessions, once again Kejriwal shows he is a politician by using irrelevant figures to prove an unrelated point. The Left is fond of using this figure to show that the rich get concessions, but not the poor. There is no doubt at all that concessions to vested interests should be abolished, but most of the so-called revenue forgone figures given out in the budget relate to setting up export-oriented industries (which bring in foreign exchange to

buy the oil we need), setting up industries in backward areas (Uttarakhand, north-east, etc), increasing investment in plant and machinery (accelerated depreciation), and middle class concessions like 80C deductions, et al. As Firstpost noted before, a study by Rajiv Kumar and Soumya Kanti Ghosh of Ficci looked at the revenue forgone figure (around Rs 5 lakh crore) and concluded that it wasnt exactly what the Left thinks it is. In an analysis published by The Indian Express (read this), they suggest if the so-called revenue forgone is taxed, growth could fall significantly. According to Kumar and Ghosh, the revenue forgone (relating to 2010-11) largely comprises the following: *Rs 1,98,291 crore of duty concessions for mass consumption goods like medicine, toothpowder, candles, kerosene, etc withdrawing these will directly hit the poor that Kejriwal & Co want to protect. *Rs 1,74,418 crore comprises import duty concessions for items meant to be re-exported. If these go, our export story also collapses. *Rs 50,658 crore of exemptions relate to concessions on insurance premia, contributions to charities, interest payments on loans for higher education, etc. This is, admittedly, not going to the poor, but the salaried. But this is where Kejriwal draws his support from. All these figures relate to 2010-11, but they do not change the underlying argument even for subsequent years. If Kejriwal wants to become a credible crusader for transparency and a voice of sanity, he has to delve deeper into the facts. Otherwise, he can equally be accused of using convenient arguments without really standing for reason. In an earlier article, we found his candour refreshing. Is he now changing his stripes to that of a true politician for whom the truth is only a matter of convenience and can be tweaked? How is Kejriwal going to change the politics of this country with this kind of old-style rhetoric?

Kejriwal calls for public debate

on Kudankulam
FP Staff, Sep 12, 2012

AC activist Arvind Kejriwal who travelled to Kudankulam to express support for the peoples agitation against the nuclear power plant called for a public debate to allay the fears of the villagers.

Speaking to media personnel at the Idinthakarai village which has been the site of a sustained anti-nuclear protest, he said, Rather than hiding, the government must have dialogue with its own people. Make its papers public. Isnt it true that this nuclear power plant has no backup water supply? If something goes wrong, both Tamil Nadu and Kerala will be affected. He added that the government should bring down their own experts to Kudankulam and have them engage in a public debate with experts chosen by the PMANE. I am from IIT Kanpur. I also believe in the importance of power and development. But not like this. There has to be inclusive development, he said. Kejriwal also said he had convinced PMANE convenor Udayakumar not to court arrest. We are exploring bail options. He is doing a

commendable job and needs to stay outside jail, Kejriwal said, adding that the PMANE convenor had 300 cases filed against him, which made him the most wanted man in India by the police. I am proud to be standing by him in this struggle, he said. He also slammed what he called terror tactics by Jayalalithaa and the Tamil Nadu police. Police came and broke idols in the church in Idinthakarai and also urinated on the stage. They destroyed motorcycles and boats: What law gives them the right to destroy property? These are terror tactics by Jayalalithaa how can she do this to the people who voted for her?, he said. In addition to physical intimidation, Kejriwal charged that the people were also being targeted by the law, pointing out that the charges framed against the villagers included that of sedition and attempt to murder. These unarmed people have been charged under sedition! Everyone in this country is being charged with sedition!, said Kejriwal, who also made a reference to jailed Mumbai cartoonist Aseem Trivedi.

Kejriwal, Bhushan charged

with provoking public

PTI, Aug 27, 2012

ew Delhi: Activists Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan were among four persons named by Delhi Police in its FIRs for provoking protesters during demonstration in the capital on the coal block allocation issue.

under Prevention of Damage to Public Property, which is non-bailable. One of the FIRs alleged that Kejriwal provoked sloganeering protesters who were marching towards Prime Ministers residence and his supporters defied warnings and entered into a scuffle with policemen, injuring the personnel. They also punctured tyres of a state-run bus on the middle of the road causing traffic jam on the stretch, the FIR claimed. In another FIR on an incident near Congress chief Sonia Gandhis residence, Bhushan, Sisodia and Vishwas were named for allegedly provoking people. Bhushan, Sisodia and Vishwas provoked their supporters and marched towards 10-Janpath. Despite warnings and use of water cannons, the crowd became more agitated and marched forward. Seven teargas shells were lobbed and as it did not help, mild force was used to contain them, the FIR said. The FIR alleged that some of the protesters used the stick on flags to beat policemen besides damaging a DTC bus and deflating its trye. One of the two FIRs filed at Parliament Street Police station also alleged that people damaged a DTC bus. There is also the mention of Gopal Rai and Neeraj Kumar in this FIR besides that of Kejriwal, Bhushan and Sisodia. The FIR alleged that the protesters when they reached in front of Parliament Street police station were told about prohibitory orders but they defied it on the instance of provocation by leaders and broke three layers of barricade to march towards Parliament. The fifth FIR was against unknown persons about the protest near Prime Ministers Office in the afternoon.

Police are also understood to have sought CCTV footage and video footage from various channels to identify people involved in rioting, especially those who protested outside the Prime Ministers Office in South Block. Five cases have been registered in Tuglaq Road and Parliament Street police stations yesterday, naming Kejriwal, Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas in separate FIRs, a senior police official said. The names of Gopal Rai and Neeraj Kumar are mentioned in one of the FIRs. 974 protesters were detained yesterday in connection with the protest by India Against Corruption in which 21 people, including 15 policemen were injured, the official said. The activists and other unknown persons were charged under 11 sections of Indian Penal Code related to rioting, not obeying lawful orders, defying prohibitory orders, assaulting government servants, provoking people to riot and a section

The Anna factor

The Anna-Arvind divorce:

Competing tales of a celebrity breakup
The jostling between the two sides -- via sound bytes, TV appearances, and anonymous quotes -- is playing out like a soap opera. Where Kejriwal plays the abandoned but faithful pativrata, Anna is intent on channeling his inner Ram.
Lakshmi Chaudhry, Sep 25, 2012

verybodys been saying Annas left us. Anna has not left us, hes in our hearts, Arvind Kejriwal told supporters in Jantar Mantar on Sunday, with the plaintive insistence that he displayed later in his conversation with Rajdeep Sardesai on CNNIBN. Why are you calling it a break. There is no break He will come back [in 3-4 months] if we keep on doing our work honestly, and we keep on doing our work sincerely, he insisted, much like an abandoned pativrata in denial.

All this loyal fervour even as the venerable great man is busy yelling the political equivalent of talaq, talaq, talaq at every opportunity. I have made it very clear that I do not want to be a part of any political party or formation. Id vowed against this at a young age. Ive said I will not have my name used as publicity for any party propaganda, Anna Hazare told reporters at the Constitution Club, describing the split as an India-Pakistan like divide.

This isnt just a break, Anna insists, its a final and irreparable divorce. As with all celebrity breakups, the media are busy decoding the evidence to discern the why. One theory is that Annaji was cheating, cuddling up to rightwing groups on the sly. And leaving Arvind is just the first step to going public with his new squeeze. Or so goes the story in todays DNA: The RSS and the BJP have a clear role in what is happening between Hazare and his team. Before Anna met Kejriwal and others on Wednesday, he had a meeting with Ramdev on Tuesday night about which no one in Team Kejriwal had any idea about. Not only that, after meeting Kejriwal and company on Wednesday, Hazare again met Ramdev and several others, sources told DNA. Hazare has flirted around with Ramdev in the past also. Earlier, he had kept secret information about details of his meeting with law minister Salman Khurshid, the sources added. No prizes for guessing which camp these sources belong to. Much like the TomKat divorce, the two parties are already working overtime to control the media narrative. Its not me, its him! A recent Tehelka article offers the other side of the story put out by Anna supporters. Their soap opera version of this messy falling out: hapless husband leaves controlling b***h. Challenging a hostile government made it impossible for him to factor in dissent. To combat the absolute hostility of the UPA required Arvind to be absolutist about his position. Therefore, no resistance, not even from Anna, was allowed, writes Revathi Laul, laying the blame on an arrogant Kejriwal, a wannabe politician intent on manipulating his innocent

and more famous partner: Anna the activist, the simpleton but also the angry old man. Oh, and Arvind lies, all the time about survey results, Annas views. Kejriwal emerges here as the ambitious and ruthless wife exploiting her husbands reputation toward her own ends. Who then can blame Anna for choosing his good name over misplaced loyalty: In Annas view, politics equals death for an activist and for the movement he stood for. His face had empowered Arvinds cause. But its main calling card all along has been Annas unique brand sacrifice and sewa. A party would strip Anna immediately of his source of power, even if it strengthens Arvinds. Being the symbol of Arvinds party would eat into his Gandhian image and his core support base in his hometown. As with such bitter superstar divorces, the anti-corruption movement has splintered into opposing loyalist camps, each unwittingly or otherwise playing to celebrity breakup script. Where we once had rivaling Team Aniston and Team Jolie t-shirts, were now in the thick of the battle of the gandhi caps: I am Anna v I am Arvind. The jostling between the two sides via sound bytes, TV appearances, and anonymous quotes is turning each into an absurd stereotype. Kejriwal tries to claim higher ground and political cover by pretending to undergo his own agnipariksha to win back his reluctant spouse. Anna is eager to reclaim his Ram-like reputation by repudiating those he once held close. Thin is the line between politics and a Sunday morning serial. And there can be no happy ending for the nation when good men willfully cross that lakshman rekha.

Dirty politics: Kejriwal must prove Anna wrong

If we are looking for change, the young and the educated must be encouraged to join politics.
Akshaya Mishra, Oct 1, 2012

olitics is not sacred. It is full of dirt, says Anna Hazare. Point taken. But someone must ask Anna if everyone gets scared of getting dirty, who will change the quality of politics in the country? This is the escapist tendency that typifies the attitude of the educated in the country. They love to cry themselves hoarse about the country going to the dogs because of politicians but they would never shoulder the responsibility of ushering in change. This is hypocrisy of the highest order. The template of Indian politics is hopelessly dated as is its political idiom. Both require fresh blood and ideas. People who are already entrenched in the

system wont want it to change they are used to the rot and would like to perpetuate it for selfish reasons. The challenge to the established order has to come from new players in the field. It can only be good for democracy if the young and the educated accept the responsibility. When a whopping majority of our youngsters abandon their intellect to be part of the political or ideological herd read the Left or the Right while actually running away from politics, you realise there can be no challenge to the wellentrenched and obnoxious political establishment. We are in a situation where most of those talking politics are long distance, armchair

politicians with pet likes, pet peeves and pet hates shaped along the ideologies they subscribe to. This has to change if we want to have fresh thinking. Anna is free to have his view of politics. But he must allow Arvind Kejriwal to do his brand of politics, which one hopes will be a welcome relief from the asphyxiating Congress-BJP duality of our political thinking. The Gandhian has his reasons to be cynical about the people who run the country. As a social activist of long standing he has seen the world up and close and yes, theres no denying his tremendous contribution to the society. But his remark on politics is uncalled for. Politics is not the right directionThis country will not get the right future from politics, he said. But Anna forgets that politicians derive their legitimacy from the people and democracy is ultimately about people. Our politics is messy, noisy and full of practices that are downright unethical and immoral, but in a country so diverse and so many conflicting interests all this should be considered a normal part of the growing up process. Democracies need time to mature. Giving up just wont do. If Kejriwal creates a new party with new followers and a new look at politics he should

encourage it wholeheartedly. The party will die a natural death if it fails to carve out a distinct space for itself. Kejriwal must understand that if he decides to take the populist route to politics he has so many competitors already. This is where the coordination between Anna Hazare and him becomes crucial. The former can keep his distance from direct politics but he can serve as a moral compass for Kejriwal, reminding him not to deviate from his course. Kejriwal looks to be in an undue hurry to make a mark in politics. That could be detrimental to the growth of a proper base for his party. It is obvious that he is helpless without the moral force of Anna behind him. Anna, he must remember, is not an overnight phenomenon. It has taken long for him to build his reputation. And yes, politics is tough, very tough. Its fiercely competitive and involves a lot of sacrifices on the personal front. Its nowhere as simple as the armchair thinkers would believe it to be. It is easy to criticise the leaders but quite difficult to take over their roles. It would be better if Kejriwal tried to drill this into his followers. There are simply no short-cuts to political success. He has made a good move by deciding to join politics. The onus is on him to make it less dirty and prove Anna wrong.

not his political party

Anna Hazare seems to have softened his stand towards Arvind Kejriwal although he is still adamant that he will not be associated with his political party.
Danish Raza, Oct 1, 2012 nna Hazare seems to have softened his stand towards Arvind Kejriwal although he is still adamant that he will not be associated with his political party.

Anna backs Kejriwal,

Anna still stood firmly by his assertion that there was no possibility of him going back to Kejriwals group, referring to the latters view that he would win back Hazare in 4-5 months. Hazare also rejected a statement by Kejriwal that it was he who had mooted the idea of political party. This is wrong. I never said it. If that was the case, we would have parted ways at that point, said Hazare. Anna met more than 40 people including two former DGPs of Punjab, Kerala, a former Chief Justice of the Kolkata High Court, and retired army officers. Members of the erstwhile Team Anna were represented in the meeting by way of Kiran Bedi attended todays meeting which lasted for six hours. He had also met with a group of volunteers on Sunday. Hazare said that he was not in a hurry to go ahead with the movement and would have at least two more such meetings to interact with people who are willing to join the movement. We have received hundreds of applications from volunteers. We will screen these applications through interviews. Selected candidates will then go through a short training session. When asked about his secret meeting with Baba Ramedev on September late evening which gave rise to speculations that saffron forces were behind the split, Hazare said, Ramdev expressed the desire to tour the country with me. I did not give any assurance. I will do it only if I am convinced that he is not backed by any political party.

Ten days after he parted ways with Arvind Kejriwal citing he was not in favour of the antigraft movement taking a political plunge, Anna Hazare today said that he would campaign for Kejriwal if he chose to contest Delhi assembly polls in 2013, though he could not say the same for other candidates fielded by Kejriwals party. Annas comments came even as Kejriwal and Sisodia paid him a surprise visit while he was meeting with a group of ex-bureaucrats and army officers to discuss the future of his antigraft movement. The duo spent 20 minutes with Hazare, in their first meeting with him following their much publicised 19 September split. But even though his relationship towards Kejriwal seemed to have taken a turn for the better,

A right-left divide?
Has the rainbow coalition of Team Anna come as under due to differences in ideology, pitting the RSS-leaning leaders against their liberal-left comrades? Does the split mark the triumph of ideology over principles?
FP Staff, Oct 1, 2012 t first blush, it appears to be a battle over means toward a common end. Arvind Kejriwal wants to change the system by becoming part of it. Attack the beast from within, so to speak. Anna Hazare disagrees. Politics, he says, is full of dirt as opposed to the sacred path of agitation. Politics is not the right direction. If politics would given us a bright future, then why India once called a golden bird had to mortgage gold. This country will not get the right future from politics, Hazare insists.

Anna vs Arvind:

There are sound arguments for both positions, and people of good intentions can disagree. More damaging, however, is the other interpretation of this split as the triumph of ideology, an inevitably splintering over left-right lines. This was a coalition that brought together a Medha Patkar with an Anna Hazare, united Kiran Bedi with a Prashant Bhushan, people who had little common ideological ground other than a commitment to fight corruption. This rainbow effect was the secret of Team Annas allure. They epitomised the dream of Indians coming together, irrespective of caste,

class and politics, to fight for justice as citizens united. The legal chops of the Bhushans combined with the organisational skills of a Kejriwal and Kiran Bedis folk-hero appeal, under the umbrella of Annas Gandhian integrity. A Tehelka profile of Kejriwal attributed this achievement to his out-of-the-box thinking:

with Ramdev in the past also

Both sides may be trading accusations on all else, but they remain united on their staunch denials of an ideological rift. When pressed on CNN-IBN whether the parting of ways marked a right-left splintering, Kejriwal said, I cant talk about others; I can only talk about Anna. I dont Vijay Pratap, a political activist who has think Anna has ideological leanings. There is a known Arvind for a decade, believes its with problem and he tries to find solution to that this that Arvind really scores. His success stems There is more practicality in Anna and our from his capacity to have a brilliant strategy position. We try to figure out the problem and without an overarching ideology. What Yothe solution to that. We try to find the solution gendra Yadav characterised in an interview rather than being guided by ideology. to Tehelka, as the politics of anti-politics. No one, not even Arvind, expected this to work on Anna too rebutted any RSS connection on his the scale it did. Or for people with such dispablog: Now, there is an effort to link me with rate political beliefs to be able to come together some party, or communal organisations. I have and stay together. Prashant Bhushan from the never in my life been a part of any such organipolitical left, Arvind who many see as liberal. sation. Till my last breath, I will not be part of Kiran Bedi who some see as liberal right. any such thing the movement has split due to politics. Despite their united We Are Family front, there was plenty of carping from the usual suspects And to be fair, Kejriwals decision to form a during the Ram Lila fast last year. Liberal intel- political party was also opposed by left-leaning lectuals in the media claimed that Team Anna members of the original Team Anna, including was cozying up with Hindutva types on the sly, most notably, Medha Patkar. putting a pan-Indian gloss on a right-leaning movement. Right-leaning Hazare supportThere is no doubt, however, that the divorce, ers claimed that Kejriwal and other jholawala irrespective of its causes, has created two more types were corrupting the movement with their ideologically homogenous camps. A Hazare-Besocialist agenda, and needed to be jettisoned di combination may well yield a movement that immediately. is more open to affiliations with right-leaning groups and leaders more so, without a KeThose ideological cracks real or imagined jriwal or Bhushan to resist such moves. And a were at the forefront again when the break final- Kejriwal-led party may be more clearly aligned ly occurred. A DNA story attributed the breakup with his liberal leanings. to Annas secret tryst with right-leaning Ramdev, RSS et al: But it is unlikely that each will fully abandon their pan-ideological stance if only for reasons The RSS and the BJP have a clear role in of pragmatism. Neither an anti-corruption what is happening between Hazare and his movement nor a party can afford to alienteam. Before Anna met Kejriwal and others on ate great parts of its constituency. The failed Wednesday, he had a meeting with Ramdev on Lokpal movement underlined one important Tuesday night about which no one in Team Ke- political lesson: Broader the appeal, bigger the jriwal had any idea about. Not only that, after clout. Both Anna and Arvind would be foolish meeting Kejriwal and company on Wednesday, to forget the benefits of that old out-of-the-box Hazare again met Ramdev and several others, thinking. sources told DNA, Hazare has flirted around

please work out a pilot concept first

The anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal was, in hindsight, a dud. They should now work on proving a new concept before they go national with their plans.
Anant Rangaswami, Sep 20, 2012 s the dust settles on the news of the mother of all divorces (the Anna Hazare-Arvind Kerjriwal one) well see a period of relative calm. There will be the hurt that accompanies all such failed marriages (please do not use my images or name in your campaigning, says Anna Hazare, for example), but, finally, the two worthies will be back to attempting to do what they originally attempted to do rid the country of corruption. Its almost exactly a year ago when the anti-corruption movement was at its peak and a large section of Indias middle class had believed that the Anna-Kejriwal combine had miraculously created the magic potion that would, in one fell swoop, rid India of one of the biggest ills plaguing the country.

Anna-ji, Kejriwal-ji,

The rest, as they say, is history. Politics prevailed, and the anti-corruption brigade was found wanting when it came to the crunch the politicians, all of them, put paid to the best laid plans of Anna and Kejriwal. By the end of 2011, it was clear that there would be no Lokpal in a hurry; in a few months, there was doubt whether there would be a Lokpal of any kind at all. As Team Anna came to terms with the reality, and went back to the drawing board, it was apparent that things would never be the same again that Anna Hazare had a point of view, that Arvind Kejriwal had a point of view and that the twain may not always meet. Even if they seem to share the same objective, that of ridding the country of corruption, the

two have opted for different ways to get to the same destination. One, Anna Hazare, wants to continue on the activist route, and the other, Arvind Kejriwal, wants to pursue an active, political route. Which route will work? Neither unless each decides to start from scratch. The tragedy is that the movement has nothing to build upon. Consider: The last time around, the two promised to rid the country of corruption, and the public, by and large, bought into the dream. They followed the Anna-Arvind Kejriwal duo with an emotional zest, putting aside all rational and common sense. They were true believers, needing no reason to follow; they carried on supporting the movement with the continuously increasing hope that the movement would deliver. The movement didnt. This time around, its going to be difficult to sell the people a dream. Theyve bought the dream once, theyve been let down; theyre not going to buy the dream again. Last year, if Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal together were a pair of entrepreneurs seeking

venture capital funding, they would have been the darling of funds. Billions would have been written, as happens in that mad space, without too many questions, because they seemed to be so clearly the flavour of the day. One year on, things have changed. No more mad, emotional funding would follow. Anna and Kejriwal would have to answer basic questions, such as: a) b) c) d) e) f) g) Can you please define your product Who will want to buy the product? Are there similar products in the market? Do you have a proof of concept? Is the concept scalable? What is the uniqueness of your product? Can it stand the test of time?

As Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal embark on a new chapter in their fight against corruption, its going to hit them just how much things have changed in the past year. One year ago, it seemed that nothing could beat them; today it looks like theyre just another product in an over-crowded market-place, a me-too in a crowded retail shelf.

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