*THE POWERFUL INTERESTS, INCLUDING THE CORPORATE-OWNED MEDIA, WISH TO CLIP THE WINGS OF **THE AAM AADMI PARTY (**AAP)*
*Ten lessons the Aam Aadmi Party must study to stay relevant for Election 2019*
*THE AAM AADMI PARTY (**AAP) **has a good shot at growing if it builds a party structure, clings to its idealism and picks resonant issues in state assembly elections.*
*Ajaz Ashraf* · <http://scroll.in/#!/?publisher=&title=> <https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://scroll.in/article/667151/Ten-lessons-the-Aam-Aadmi-Party-must-study-to-stay-relevant-for-Election-2019>
From its 2014 election experience, AAP can draw ten lessons to create a more robust future for itself.
*No. 1*: *AAP has a greater chance of success in states in which two political parties grapple for power and a Third Front either doesn't exist, or has limited impact. This is precisely why it grew in Delhi.*
In the two-horse states where the ruling party has been in power for years and is perceived to be performing, as in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh, AAP will have to focus on capturing the opposition space.
This may appear a formidable task, but the persistent failure of the Congress to initiate popular agitations provides AAP ample scope for this, particularly as a large percentage of its Lok Sabha candidates were civilsociety activists.
*No. 2:* *AAP must behave as the principal opposition formation outside legislatures.*
Partly, the Congress has failed to mount an effective opposition because decades of wielding power have weakened its resolve to take the battle to the streets. But it is also true the Congress can't mount a credible resistance against the BJP state governments because there's very little difference between the two parties in their conception of power, ideas of governance, and the economic model to be pursued.
*No. 3:* *AAP should redefine ideas of power and governance and critique the model of development that both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress subscribe to.*
AAP's success in Punjab testifies that the Modi wave did not have a telling impact there, unlike elsewhere in the country. It is possible his appeal was limited because the BJP wasn't the dominant partner in the National Democratic alliance in Punjab. However, it can also be argued that Modi's Hindutva persona lacked the magnetic pull witnessed elsewhere because the Hindus are in a minority in the state. Further, non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Odisha also defied the Modi onslaught.
*No. 4:* *AAP has a greater chance of success in areas with substantial numbers of religious minorities. Non-Hindi speaking Indians living outside their home states are more likely to be inclined to AAP.*
The qualitative difference between the verdict in Delhi and Punjab was the impact the Modi wave had on the Capital. Despite an increase in its vote share, AAP didn't win a seat. Yet, it can take solace from its internal survey, conducted nearly a month before the Delhi assembly elections. Even then, a substantial percentage of people intending to vote for AAP had said they would back the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls because of Modi.
*No. 5*: *No wave is permanent. For instance, power cuts in Delhi have already proved people to describe the Modi government as the* *mombati* *(candle)* *sarkar**.*
Delhi is crucial for AAP, because yet another spell in power could provide an opportunity to demonstrate that it has the capacity to govern as well as to oppose. However, an ebbing of the Modi wave wouldn't necessarily have to be to AAP's advantage. It is possible the Congress could recover the lost ground, though past experiences testify that wherever it is relegated to the third or fourth spot in the electoral race, it finds it extremely difficult to stage a comeback. Think Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
*No. 6:* *It can't afford to relinquish the second spot in Delhi.
Therefore, it must continue to challenge the Congress, regardless of many wanting all anti-BJP forces to band together.*
In this endeavour, AAP has to retain the unique attributes that distinguish it from other mainstream parties. It must rely on the efforts of volunteers for its campaigns, depend on donations instead of slush funds and corporate money, keep out dynasts, shun muscle-power, and assign to party cadres a predominant role in selecting candidates in each constituency, as it had in the Delhi assembly elections. It must eschew the temptations to succumb to the politics of identity, but, simultaneously, ensure its leadership must be broadly representative of Delhi and India's social spectrum.
No political party can only thrive on negativity, merely tearing into the government of the day. AAP should return to its idea of swaraj, of devolving power to people. It has already taken this corrective measure, convening jan sabhas to elicit the opinion of people on how the MLAs' development funds should be spent.
*No. 7:* *AAP cannot relinquish its ideals, even as it works on Lesson No. 3.*
Those writing AAP's obituary point to its abject failure in its effort to become nationally relevant. Delhi and Punjab apart, a mere 2% vote share implies it must expand its base exponentially. Political outfits grow either by exercising power in a manner beneficial to the people or riding on popular disenchantment expressed and consolidated through movements. At the moment, the route to power doesn't exist for AAP.
Therefore, it cannot become like the Congress or a host of regional outfits, coming alive in the weeks before elections and slipping into slumber at the announcement of results. The existing political outfits have been around for decades, possess a steady vote base, and can consequently hope to return to power because of the ruling party's misgovernance.
*No. 8:* *To grow, AAP must continue to be a movement for deepening our democracy.*
AAP isn't a pressure group disinterested in electoral politics. It, therefore, requires organisational structures through which it can translate support built through movements into votes. Indeed, the triumph of Narendra Modi was as much a victory of his charisma and the meanings he symbolised as it was about the Sangh's formidable organisational network.
AAP needs to be a structured outfit for overcoming the paucity of funds through labour-intensive campaigns and to create channels of communication with potential supporters who are as susceptible as anybody to the corporate-owned media manipulation of popular perceptions.
*No. 9:* *Build a party structure.*
AAP has already begun this through its decision to create booth-level committees. But it needs patience, for parties are not built overnight.
Since there is no possibility of a national election till 2019, AAP must concentrate on the string of assembly elections, beginning with those due in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi in October.
It will need to identify issues that have local resonance, link them to its national campaign that big business is subverting democracy and emphasise the pressing need to alter the nature of the political class. You need to give AAP another two-three years before writing it off electorally.
But it also brings us to *Lesson No. 10*: Politics isn't just about winning and losing. It is also about restoring to the political system its moral equilibrium, of mounting resistance to undemocratic tendencies.
Extract from Scroll.in, highlighted by
*Balbir Singh Sooch, Advocate, Ludhiana-Sikh Vichar Manch*
*https://www.facebook.com/balbir.singh.355<https://www.facebook.com/balbir.singh.355>*
P.S: Reaction and or Advice:
Amarjit Kaur
to *bhundal*, *dhillon1210*, *Gurdial*, *MotaSingh*, *Kheti*, *Davinder*, *Bhagwant*, *Jarnail*, me, Aam
Respected all of you
Aap party should not wait for getting political power,it should make close contacts with the people by solving their small problems on the humanity base.Target of getting power is actually to serve the country.Feed the hungry persons in langers,starts Chhabiles (free water stal) for thirsty.Aware farmers about organic farming for minimizing costs and getting rid of pollution of poisonous atmosphere' with the help of organic farming organization, clean the rivers like sant Balvir Singh sichewal ji.All of these services should be started on small scale.The results of these services would be a great surprising.As soon as these helping activities would be started,with the blessing of Akaalpurkh, there would be no defficency of money.See to Karseva wale babe,they are doing wonderful seva with donation silently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BebNsezt6r0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzFyU1EKis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWx5vXESI-M
With regards
Amarjit Kaur
The Public is anxiously waiting the moves of AAP to Start. A.J.S.Chandi