Sword of Damocles over Kejriwal

• Cong says it will provide only issue-based support
• Its leaders believe AAP promised people the moon
• It will seek to share credit for any success of AAP .
• BJP amused, terms alliance a betrayal of Delhiites

New Delhi: Even at the risk of not providing a stable government to the Delhiites, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal will take oath at Ramlila Maidan on December 26 along with his Cabinet.

Aware that AAP faces the risk of not providing a stable government by taking the outside support of the Congress, Arvind Kerjriwal is going ahead to avoid the criticism of running away from responsibility. Kejriwal is working on a 100-day agenda, with focus on water, power, ending VIP culture and passing the Jan Lokayukta Bill, with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls. AAP leader Prashant Bhushan gave away their game plan by stating that they want to form a minority government and implement their agenda and it is for the Congress to choose when it would prefer to pull down the Government. With eight MLAs, the Congress, which has the tradition of pulling the rug from under a minority government, can withdraw support to the AAP, whenever it desires. In the past, it had no inhibition to pull down the governments of Charan Singh, Chandra Shekhar, H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral at the Centre, when it suited them.

Though, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Delhi, Shakeel Ahmed, who had earlier stated that they were lending an “unconditional” support to the Aam Aadmi Party, former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit sprang a surprise on Monday by declaring that they would give “issue-based” support to AAP.

Delhi PCC Chief Arvinder Lovely was candid enough to admit that the longevity of the AAP government depended on their performance.

He said that as long as they fulfill the promises of reducing 50 per cent of electricity charges, giving free water, setting-up schools and infrastructure etc, the Congress would have no problem. Otherwise, the AAP would have to face the music.

Coming together of AAP and the Congress has amused the BJP which wished them good luck. The Congress, for obvious reasons, wanted the AAP to form the government as it is keen to expose Arvind Kejriwal and his team, who have promised the people the moon but when it comes to brass tacks, it will be difficult to implement. The slashing of the electricity bill by half is a herculean task and so is the announcements of providing 700 litres of free water. The Delhi government does not have additional funds and for generating those, it will have to tax the Aam Admi again. Since Delhi is not a full-fledged state, it cannot raise loans from the market and will have to look for additional support from the Centre.

The Congress has entered into marriage of convenience, with the AAP, as it wants to call their bluff, sooner than later. It would prefer if the AAP is exposed before the crucial Lok Sabha polls, so that they can reap political benefit on how the Congress was all along being realistic and sincere in running the government, in comparison to other parties.

The Congress realizes that it will be difficult for AAP to implement most of its promises that includes decentralization of governance through Resident Welfare Associations. Since, it requires amending the municipal act, the permission of approval comes from Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Urban Development.

Similarly, its promise of giving full Statehood to Delhi is difficult to achieve. When the Home Ministry turned a blind eye to the request made umpteen times by Sheila Dikshit, it seems impossible for the AAP to do the same.

Even for its promise of establishing 500 schools and a number of hospitals, the AAP will have to look to the Centre. The Delhi government has no authority over land and the policy on land and building continues to be controlled by the Ministry of Urban Development and the Delhi Development Authority.

Delhi cannot allot land even for a playground. With the Congress conscious that the AAP will be fully dependent on the Centre to implement its agenda, it wants to be a party in fulfilling the needs of the Aam Admi so that it can equally share the credit. With the AAP coming with the begging bowl to the Centre, the latter can also regain its image to certain extent. However, options will be open for both the AAP and the Congress to part ways, whenever it desires.

If AAP goes ahead with its threat of putting Shiela Dikshit behind bars on graft charges, the Congress will have no option but to pull the rug. AAP, too, will choose to raise the same, if it realizes that without the help of the Centre, it cannot deliver.