5 Years of Aam Aadmi Party and Me

It is hard to realize the fact that Aam Aadmi Party has already completed 5 years since its inception in 2012. Under some special circumstances, AAP was registered as a political party and fought its first ever election in 2013. Since its formation and many ups/downs, I'm still in full solidarity with the party principles and supporting them in every possible way. I might have been too young or disinterested in politics but before AAP's formation, I never heard any noise related to election manifestos. But after forming government for the first time, AAP took steps which showed their diligence in executing their election promises. This was not easy for them due to political interference in a Union Territory. Path to a good governance was hard and they faced intense criticism. However, they proved to be quick learners. 6 years later, AAP is still facing challenges every day. I have been often asked by people in public gatherings and events "aur bhai tumhare Kejriwal ke kya haal hai"? (How is Kejriwal doing?). This might sound as if I am spending all my hours in the shadow of  AAP, but people do like to hear about developments and performance of government in the capital. 

AAP euphoria started in 2011 when Janlokpal Aandolan was at its peak. I (including many others) joined the movement in Hyderabad. Public passion and support poured into the movement which created a strong wave of dissent against corruption. Ruling as well as non-ruling politicians tried hard to break the movement. However, unrelenting public pressure forced the politicians to discuss Janlokpal Bill overnight in The Parliament. Bill passed was subpar. Media backed by political parties also fueled the dilemma of mere activists (not public representatives) spearheading a political cause. Janlokpal bill supporters were challenged to form their own political party if they wanted to pass the bill the way they drafted. In the end, country saw the sudden and movie-like transformation of a NGO worker into a national party leader. 

I still remember when I went to the Janlokpal protest venue in Hyderabad and made my first willful donation. The movement had different implications for every voice in the crowd. It was just a mundane fun event for some people who bribed the policemen when caught for traffic violation (ironically their excuse was "sir, please let us go, we are going to attend the anti-corruption movement"). While all these developments were ongoing, I had to leave the country for further studies. Nevertheless, my support for the party continued. Since 2014, I have donated over Rs. 40,000 in total at regular intervals to the AAP development fund. 

AAP discussion forums, meetups, and other endeavors made me understand in detail the internal fabric of the functioning of a political party. My transition from a bystander to a more active participant in the political scenery involved a steep learning curve. In the process I even had to sacrifice my friendships. 

At present, there might be multiple reasons that the ruling parties are not able to take actions as promised and clean the internal mess. I believe that only a complete overhaul of established parties at an administrative and leadership levels can bring a positive change. This was one of the reasons that I decided to support the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party.