New Delhi, March 10
Swaraj India president and former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav on Thursday termed the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s performance in Punjab “spectacular and extraordinary”, but said it’s more “an indictment” of the “entire political establishment” rather than the success of a party in the electoral battle.
Speaking to, he said people of the state have given their mandate to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as it managed to present itself as the “only visible political alternative”.
He also listed five key challenges that the AAP may have to face after coming to power in the state, saying the party will have to understand “federalism and respect regional sentiments” as Punjab has always “detested” Central control and rejected the control of “Dilli Darbar”.
The AAP is ‘Dilli Darbar’ and it is controlled by Delhi, he said.
“Needles to say their success in Punjab is spectacular, extraordinary. The real question is whether it is the success of Aam Aadmi Party or the failure of the entire political establishment,” Yadav said.
For the last five years in Punjab, the AAP was a divided house with leaders deserting it and the party did not start any movement or any agitation or any protest, he claimed.
“It did not play the opposition for last five years. Yet, it has been voted to power. To my mind it shows, this is more an indictment on the political establishment which has taken the form of endorsement of the Aam Aadmi party,” he told.
It’s a “vote of hope” for the AAP as people felt that “at least this newcomer” will be better than anyone else, he added.
When asked if the credit for the party’s performance in Punjab goes to its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Yadav said he has shown “tenacity and political wisdom”, and also held his party together to give an alternative in the state.
“To my mind it is primarily an indictment of the entire political establishment and AAP managed to present itself as the only visible political alternative and the people went for that.
“Kejriwal has shown tenacity, he has shown political wisdom and has held the party together to give an alternative,” he said.
Yadav, who have been one of the ardent critics of Kejriwal since his exit from the AAP in 2015, added, “I am not particularly sure of their (AAP’s) model of governance, I am not sure if there is.
“I mean as I always thought that Gujarat model of governance was not much of a reality, similarly I have doubts about Delhi model of governance,”
He said the AAP’s success in Punjab comes with “huge responsibility and challenge”
“Punjab has always detested central control. Dilli Darbar has been the nemesis of Punjab politics. For the last 500 years, they have never accepted the control of Dilli Darbar.
“The AAP is Dilli Darbar, it’s controlled by Delhi. So that should be the first challenge for them to understand federalism and respect regional sentiments, which they have so far not quite understood,” he said.
Yadav said the farmers’ movement against three farm laws created the ground on which the AAP has taken its march to victory but “their own understanding of agriculture and farming has been non-existent so far.”
