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Arvind Kejriwal has locked himself in a cage and given the keys to Amit Shah

Unless Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal rethinks his surrender to Modi-Shah, he will make the Aam Aadmi Party a matter of history.

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Arvind Kejriwal is a politician who likes to make his point emphatically. When he launches a movement to demand a law, he makes it look like a revolution. When he wants to address the problem of faulty electricity meters, he’s willing to climb a pole and break the law to connect a line.

When he wants to make accusations others do only in private, he will make sure he gets countless defamation cases filed against him. When he wants to get rid of those countless cases, he will go around apologising to them all, one by one, like a supplicant.

Similarly, when he decides to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he will go to the extent of saying that Modi wants him killed. When he decides it is a bad idea to criticise Modi, he will seal his lips no matter what blunders Modi makes. And when he decides it is time to surrender before Modi, the surrender will be absolute: mind, body and soul.

This is a high risk-high reward way of doing things. The rewards are Himalayan: the history-making Lokpal movement, and historic election victories that made him win around 90 per cent seats.

In this attitude, he shares a trait with Narendra Modi. Modi likes to take big risks. If they fail (demonetisation), move on, take another one (GST).


Also read: Covid has exposed Kejriwal. He is no transparent, reformist or in-control chief minister


The high risk game

High risk can also mean that when things go bad, they go really bad. It means that Kejriwal goes to Punjab and makes his party lose an election it was winning. It’s so bad that he has to come up with an EVM conspiracy theory to ward off his own party colleagues asking questions of his debacle in Punjab. When Kejriwal was criticising Modi 24 hours a day, he started sounding personal and power hungry, and a man in a hurry to be Prime Minister. In 2015, after he won 67 seats in Delhi assembly election, he decided to unceremoniously sack colleagues, who had refused to be yes men, thus creating an image of an undemocratic, authoritarian leader.


Also read: Arvind Kejriwal has run out of excuses over his Covid failures in Delhi


Politics of ambiguity

We are just seeing Modi’s high-risk investment in his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping go for a toss, even as his high-risk “surgical strikes” on Pakistan paid him rich political dividends.

When this way of doing politics works, it does because it provides clarity. Voters know exactly which way they are being taken by their leader. This clarity becomes a cause for trust. But, how do you trust a leader who himself doesn’t sound sure of which path he wants to take?

Yet, this clarity can also mean that voters can be equally sure they don’t like what you’re offering. Which is why some of the smartest politicians have been masters of ambiguity. The most skillful politicians can practice the politics of ambiguity, walk a tightrope and never fall off it, at least for a very long time.

The greatest practitioner of the politics of ambiguity in recent memory was Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He could afford to be both in favour of Ram Mandir and against it. He could be Hindutva and not be Hindutva. He could be RSS and not-so-RSS. And yet the people trusted him. Even those who didn’t vote for him had a grudging admiration for the leader.

There have also been others, such as Narasimha Rao and Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar may have lost trust because he turns around in his bed a bit too often, but he can still do one of his balancing acts. He can support the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Parliament and then oppose it when it boomerangs.

When Arvind Kejriwal won 67 out of 70 seats in the 2015 Delhi assembly election, he thought he could position himself as the alternative to Modi by speaking against him all day. It took defeats in the Punjab assembly election and Delhi’s municipal poll for him to realise that his was a wrong strategy, and that it was quiet governance he needed to focus on.

In 2020, he won 62 of 70 seats in Delhi assembly despite a high-decibel communal campaign by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With a second consecutive emphatic victory, was there any need for Kejriwal to surrender before Modi-Amit Shah? Kejriwal seems to think brand Modi is too strong to dissipate any time soon, so there’s no point taking it head on. Fine, but should that amount to surrendering and subsuming oneself before Modi?

When Arvind Kejriwal ‘orders an FIR’ against the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz but not one against Kapil Mishra, he shows himself as having surrendered to Home Minister Amit Shah. Kejriwal seems to have calculated that being nice to Modi-Shah would mean they would give him some room, politically, as well as administratively in Delhi. He couldn’t be more wrong. Amit Shah saw an opportunity in Kejriwal’s poor management of the Covid crisis and swooped in. For over two weeks now, it has looked like Amit Shah is the chief minister of Delhi and Arvind Kejriwal is L-G Anil Baijal’s assistant. In other words, Arvind Kejriwal is now a lame duck chief minister.


Also read: How ‘overconfident’ Delhi made a mess of Covid fight, forcing Modi govt to pick up the pieces


Digging his own grave

Unless Kejriwal changes track, he could continue as a lame duck CM until 2025, and then, become history. Muslims and Modi supporters will both desert him. Who wants a BJP stooge when they can vote for the BJP itself? Why go for a poor imitation when the original doesn’t cost extra?

If he wants to change track, he must go back to the lesson he learnt after losing Punjab in 2017: focus on governance in Delhi.

Kejriwal was able to pass his first 5 years by giving us gimmickry in place of governance. The odd-even scheme was a tamasha that had everyone talking, but didn’t solve the capital’s air pollution problem. Spending the Delhi government’s generous budget on improving school infrastructure was easy, and not letting badly-performing students take board exams to improve pass percentages was even easier. Subsidising electricity was just monetary re-allocation. It took a crisis (Covid) to test Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) real mettle on governance, and it failed badly.

Arvid Kejriwal, the self-declared commoner and outsider to politics, has today become more of a politician than most politicians. He needs to wear his AAP cap again and focus on governance. Instead of overthinking political strategies with his upstart advisors all day, he should spend more time with his files at the state secretariat.

Unambiguity in governance and ambiguity in politics will help Kejriwal go a long way. But if politics is all he is interested in, he should go the whole hog and join the National Democratic Alliance.

The author is contributing editor to ThePrint. Views are personal.

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41 COMMENTS

  1. Kejriwal is a confused politician, he doesnt know whom to criticise, how much to criticise, and when to criticise. Criticise, criticise, and criticise more endlessly at the beginning, and when the support is needed by people, he shut himself out! Probably what he has achieved can be achieved by a good bureaucrat given free ride. Dharamveera and Jagmohan have achieved well in the past, even before the latter ended up in a political camp. What political support has Kejriwal given to Delhiites when the worst happened to them recently? He’s undeserving the position. It’s no surprise that Anna Hazare, another turncoat, who’s keeping quiet when atrocities are being committed, has despised Kejriwal from the beginning.

  2. Can there be a completely new turn of events in Delhi by the time of next elections there in 2025? No AAP, no Congress, no BJP; but altogether a new turnaround.

    • Repeated failures of our political leaders and parties is really frustrating. Now, Kejriwal, who started with a lot of hope but has no political commitment to anything, will also fade away, what’ll the voter do? Go to the other useless parties, one that divides people, and the other which usurps public wealth? The choice is really very disturbing.

  3. Kejriwal has lost his image in Delhi riots. From that episode, he always looks on back foot and follows as BJP agent. He is close to RSS from very beginning but his so called secularism gave him in carnation. Now he is in very in lap of Modi and Amit Shah pair as Nitish Kumar is in Bihar. Politics is a art of compromise and conciliation, not a morality play. He is a black sheep in guide of secularism. Pity is that voters have no choice but to choose the best among the worst. Siyasat.net

  4. I am banning the print from appearing in my google news. You guys are moron. Problem is not in Kejriwal but in you. If he comes true to your I’ll expectations of criticizing modi then it’s okay otherwise he has entered death cage. Mental bankruptcy at its best. Keede padenge aise columnist Ko….

    • Ashu, you’re missing the point! Vij is asking why criticise Modi endlessly then, and why keep quiet when people who supported and elected you badly needed your political backing? Is that too much to ask?

    • Please ban all media, why only print media, who’s bothered about your personal choices? Want to feed on poisonous social media than depend on well-researched articles? Go ahead, and get lost!

  5. I am banning the print from appearing in my google news. You guys are moron. Problem is not in Kejriwal but in you. If he comes true to your I’ll expectations of criticizing modi then it’s okay otherwise he has entered death cage. Mental bankruptcy at its best. Keede padenge aise columnist Ko….

  6. I don’t want to enter to merit of this article. But it is very clear that the man in Delhi is failed to handle the current situation.

  7. Such so called “columnist” are more dangerous than politicians.Corrupt to the core and king of fake news and utterly shameless,Author is terrible confused and lacks intellect.Only qualification to be a columnist these days is to have English writing skills.Garbage article,

    • Kapil, you have no worthwhile comment to make, just spitting venom on the author who wrote a very balanced piece.

  8. Print should be consigned to dustbin. The stupid author will be happy seeing kejruddin fighting centre. When corona will infect this stupid author ?

    • Krishna, you have no worthwhile comment to make, and make a highly biased comment, and talking bad of a balanced writer. A journalist’s job is to defend people’s interests, and that that’s what Vij is doing. Make a sensible comment or keep quiet.

  9. What a biased and senseless article. Spend your energy on something else that might have been better. Spread truth and not your propoganda.

  10. Shivam Vij is a real asset to the Bjp. His articles should be translated and published across Indian newscape.
    The sheer frustration, prejudice and unwavering contempt his articles project is actually so revealing. It mirrors the philosophy of the mind of the the emperor who walked with no clothes, because he beliéved his courtiers.
    Till 2014 this contempt for public opinion, democracy and alternative ideas that opposed the narrative of the left leaning was marked by sophistry. It was explained through intelligent sounding théories, concerns for ‘idea of India’ . The sneering , in other words, was well hidden.
    Now his articles abundantly highlight the disgust for anyone who cnges the status quoists of the nehruvian era. Now they even blame the common people and country that elects a diferent dispensation.
    I have always mtained that the left commentariat excelled in verbal sophistry unlike the often bland ripostes of the right.
    That mentality of control has been well challenged as much by the people themselves as by the leaders of the right.
    Shivams articles earn the ire of Modi supporters. That could be understandable but they shd realise that such articles actually assist their cause!
    The reasons for widely distributing shivams articles are that one- they fortify the resolution of those who see through the chicanery of the so called.liberal narative and two- they expose the reality to those sitting on the fence.

    Carry on, Shivam!

    • Do you know how much Trump is ridiculed and lampooned by the US press? Be open to different ideas and different views, you’ll widen your knowledge. No point in commenting without any substance.

  11. Honest chief minister of delhi Arvind kejriwal is not surrendered to anyone.he is a master of politics.he was born on 16-8-1968.in his date of birth most luckiest number 168 present two times it means he he very lucky person.his birth number 16=7 represent ketu grah,life path 3 and born under the period of number 1-4,name total is 4.numbers 1,3,4,7 with kejriwal and all number represent politics number,no one understand the Nature of Intelligent kejriwal,year 2029 when kejriwal in 61 year,he will be the national leader.

  12. Ya by your logic during the pandemic he should stop cooperating and working together and instead start fighting. Good analysis without context and timing looks childish.

  13. He has realised that’s the most sensible thing to do rather than playing politics like Congress and other opposition. In fact he could have breathed life into AAP that was overwhelmed with COVID. Why are you guys burning?? You need Burnol for sure 😊😊

  14. Chickens are coming home to roost for those journalists who propped up Shri Kejriwal as a messiah for the masses.

  15. I completely understand the frustration of Shri Shivam Vij. He and his fellow travellers from the journalistic faternity, all virulent Modi haters, propped up Shri Arvind Kejriwal as a messiah for the secular masses. Shri Kejriwal cunningly positioned himself accordingly. But positioning is not performance. Now chickens are coming home to roost. And Shri Vij and his ilk have egg on their faces.

  16. I have seen this blog tags “Amit Shah Arvind Kejriwal Bjp Narendra Modi Delhi Delhi election ” then no need to read block content because you guys are the ” Bhakt”.

  17. Not even a single point on how this man said outsiders cannot get covid19 treatment in Delhi
    Inspire of people like me dumping 50k per month in Delhi since 2013….doesn’t it adds to the exchequer in the form of taxes
    U remained tight-lipped on AAP’s clear role in anti Hindu delhi pogrom
    Great Great selectivism and hypocrisy is in the air

  18. It is easy to criticise Kejriwal. He is practising real politik. Modi Shah combination is extremely powerful and formidable. Look at recent judgements on very important court cases. BJP has won almost all the cases. Unless some karmic equation nullifies the evil that is pervading India politician like Kejriwal is in a no win situation. His policy of Join them if you cannot reform them is the right thing given the compulsions.

  19. “Shoe I am ” you STUPIDO. I can understand since AK realised that anti HINDU rhetoric will not win any votes. And also as a ultra selfish person AK realised that pro congrass undereducated jhollawallas and rent a journalist are not coming back to power any TIME soon or in future. Hence now he acts as a good HINDU. A GOOD HINDU has a scientific and modern outlook. And hence you spit venom at him. Enjoy congrass supporters calling each other names.

  20. There are two aspects to politics ; one is governance and the other power equation or the influence of the
    person in power or the party in power Principles of political science can throw light on these two aspects and how one can come up in Politics. It is also question how far a higher education is a help or hindrance in one’s ascendance in a political career,There have been instances of leaders like Shri Kamaraj of Tamilnadu ,or MGR who have made it big on Tamilnadu politics by their sheer Charisma,common sense and principles of good governance.MGR’s introduced schemes like mid-day -Meals schemes which was at once novel and was a huge hit withe the public.So also the free schemes for education by beloved Kamarajji was also novel and benefited a large number of people in Tamilnadu.
    Shri Arvind Kejriwal is in politics by choice and has somewhat proven record in good governance thru his novel schemes and blemish less record.His power rating is also within the top ten politicians.
    His future movement will only be upward and rate of growth will depend on how much he is able
    use the initial core entry factors that were largely contributing to his early gains with the needed
    adaptation to situations as he moves along. I wish him good luck.

  21. You are making too much interpretation.
    We want information and facts from the print and not long political sermons. Give us facts and we have the mind to interpret. Don’t try to infuse your personal views onto your readers. Follow Shekar Giptaji’s style.
    If you want to give your opinion give it in line and tune .
    Thanks

  22. Instead of advising Kejriwal, why Mr. Vij not remember any Modi tirade is going to be wastful time pass. Write for the national., Not departed dynasty.

  23. Shivam, you are unnecessarily harsh on Kejriwal. Kejriwal has clearly calculated that proximity to Modi will keep him relevant in politics. Anti-Modi space is just too small, so small that apart from Rahul Gandhi it has no place for even rest of the Congress party. No wonder Scindia, Deora, Pilot, Prasada all are looking to jump ship. Same conclusion has been drawn by Mayavati, Jagan Reddy, Navin babu and Nitish babu. The option to join the NDA also remains a decent one for AAP at some later date.

    P.S. I think Modi might do a deal with Xi where they both come looking out as victors. Perhaps in the adulation that will follow, Kejriwal might take the plunge to join NDA.

  24. Ha ha, your discomfort is really soothing.
    A CM, cooperating with center is not to your liking.
    Mamta would have been your choice for CM of the year?

  25. It has happened in Haryana, takes place regularly in the north east. Gentleman could join the ruling party, with 61 MLAs in his trousseau.

  26. IN A PANDEMIC SITUATION THAT DELHI IS FACING, DELHI CHIEF MINISTER CANNOT HANDLE IT ALONE.

    HOME MINISTER AMIT SHAH IS A COMPETENT MASS MOBILISER AND IMPECCABLE ORGANISER.

    AS A HOME MINISTER OF INDIA AMIT SHAH WILL SUCCEED IN CONTROLLING THE PANDEMIC IN DELHI.

    ONCE THE CAPITAL OF INDIA SHOWS THE WAY OF CONTROLLING THIS UNFORTUNATE AND UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC, REST OF INDIA WILL BE INSPIRED AND ENCOURAGED TO BRING THIS PANDEMIC UNDER CONTROL.

    SYED NAQVI
    ADVOCATE
    SUPREME COURT OF INDIA.

    • Neither Kejriwal nor Amit Shah are medical experts. If success means Shah will encash and total collapse means AKji will become scapegoat. Gujarat Ahmedabad needs Amit Shah expertise on Corona control and let him go there. Ahmedabad fatality rate is around 7% against national average around 3% as per health ministry analysis. Home state also more important.

  27. Highly distorted commentary ignoring ground reality. Kejriwal stood his ground and got the order issued by the Governor (Alias Amit Shah ) reversed!
    Any layman, or even his critic, will understand the above article is purely to malign Kejriwal!

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