Dear AAP volunteers,
Hi, our quest for alternate politics is over.
Like in 1977,
the leaders have once again betrayed the aspirations because of unbridled
political ambition. Time to go back to whatever we were doing, feeling sad and
violated. AAP may survive and maybe win somewhere and after some years, but it
is already become like any another party. I realized it after the Delhi
victory, many others realized later but some are still living in hopes. To all
those wonderful, well-meaning and patriotic volunteers – its time to read the
writings on the wall.
The feeling on the streets of Delhi is of palpable anger
against AAP. Talk to any rickshaw, taxi driver or hawker, who were the main
voter base and they are ready to physically hit AAP leadership. The calculation
of doing well in MCD election was based on the cocky assessment of sweeping
Punjab and then riding the crest of victory again to influence the Delhi voters.
Now defeat looms in MCD.
There is no leadership nor support in Gujarat except on the
Social Media. Gujarat will be another Goa. Goa was a small state, and after
internal survey of 45% votes (another standard AAP trick), to lose deposit in
39 constituencies will be replicated in Gujarat. If they take any other state
for fighting elections, the result will be similar. A small discredited coterie
from Delhi cannot just descend and win elections. I have never seen that
happen. Probably AAP may not fight Gujarat.
The only chance that AAP has now is to govern Delhi well,
and forget fighting elections in other states. Stop the self-defeating hype and
get down to do some REAL governance. Improving some schools and making mohalla
clinics is not adequate governance, running a good administration is much, much
more. Maybe, just maybe, after 3 years, they might get re-elected in Delhi and
then AAP could probably offer a more efficient government – but that too looks
far-fetched.
23 of the 67 MLAs of AAP have come from other parties,
steeped in corruption. Most MLAs of Delhi have started corrupt practices. Ask
any one on Delhi streets that are filled with AAP posters made of multiple
faces, and they will tell you that AAP MLAs and workers have become as corrupt
as earlier MLAs, if not more. Many files of AAP MLA and government corruption are
with CBI and IT. The screws are going to be tightened. The CAG whom we used to
quote to discredit other parties is passing strictures against AAP. Yet, we
justify by pointing fingers at others.
There is a small group of people who run AAP and till now
their focus was on other states and making Arvind the PM in 2019. They may
restructure their goals, maybe do some drama of apology, but all that has been
done before and might not be effective any more. Because of their insecurities
and desire for control, they will not allow independent thinkers in decision
making. Intellectuals and good people have grown antipathy towards AAP because
of their cheap language and political up-manship. A party that came to change
the political culture has vitiated it. So, improving the decision makers and
the process seems difficult.
So, let me make my final points.
·
Some volunteers say that to stay in politics,
one needs to COMPROMISE. But, AAP won 28 seats in Delhi without compromising.
AAP won 67/3 by not compromising except in some seat distribution. We demonstrated
that elections could be won without money, muscle and divisive agenda. The
compromises started AFTER victory.
·
THEN, we started caste and communal politics.
Like people, principles were also discarded. Seats were sold in Punjab, cash
was taken in large doses, donation list was removed, no income-expenditure data
was given for last 3 years and so on and so forth. Do you want to give your
life for THIS? So, that some people can use-and –throw volunteers to fuel their
ambition for power and money?
I have learnt a lot from my movement and political journey.
I had quit my high paying job, but it was compensated with the knowledge and
insights that I gained. I have neither become cynical nor bitter. As a person
who had encountered similar betrayal during 1975 movement of Janata Party, I
just thought that I should reach out to the wonderful volunteers – idealists,
patriots and hopeful to say that it is over. We have been taken for a ride.
I am working on a nation building through rural
transformation by adopting 15 villages in drought-prone Beed and doing 360
degree development (www.globalparli.org). I am personally in a good place, far away from any politics, due to the positive work that I am doing. I share your pain in my heart for being
betrayed. Sometimes it is better to cut your losses.
Sorry if I have hurt any of you, that is not the purpose of this letter.
The truth is ugly and
therefore your first impulse will be to impute motives to me, call me BJP
stooge and attack me personally– it does not matter, it’s a normal reaction. My
sole purpose is to share my views for you to take the right decision.
Love
Mayank Gandhi
