By Abu Zafar, India Tomorrow,
New Delhi, 26 Dec 2013: Even though Aam Aadmi Party’s National Convener Arvind Kejriwal is going to be sworn in as chief minister of Delhi on Saturday, Delhiites who wanted a change since long and gave a chance to Kejriwal are between hope and despair about several promises made by AAP.
Some of them are hopeful about future and some others think it is hard for AAP to fulfil big promises like cutting half the electricity bill and supplying 700 litres free water to each home on daily basis.
People think AAP has promised a lot and some of its promises seem unrealistic.
Fahad Saeed, a public relation executive in Noida, says AAP has to face real challenges now.
“Now there are real challenges before AAP. Wining in election is tough but it is more important not to break people’s trust,” he said.
“I am not hopeless about its promises but there are several promises including passing Jan Lokpal Bill which depends on central government,” Saeed said.
AAP had announced in its election manifesto that they will cut electricity bill by 50 percent, provide 700 litres free water, form a commando force for women security and pass Jan Lokpal Bill within 15 days of resuming power.
Surinder Pal Sharma, a businessman in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, thinks Kejriwal didn’t promise anything impossible.
“The things he has promised are not impossible to do and the Congress government failed because they wanted to fill their own pockets rather than working for the welfare of the common people,” Sharma told India Tomorrow.
“Kejriwal government will definitely fulfil their promises but only if the people and Congress support them continuously,” he hopes.
Alka Verma, a business analysis in an IT company in Noida, sees no challenge before AAP.
“I think there is no challenge before AAP because they believe in hard, instant and on time work. They may face some difficulties because they all are new in this political phase,” Verma told India Tomorrow.
Mohammad Wajid, a student of B. Tech, says that promising lots of things is hobby of politicians.
“Whether politicians are big or small, it is their habit to promise a lot. I hope AAP will fulfil at least some of its promises,” Wajid said.
“Even if it doesn’t fulfil its promises then what can one do? BJP and Congress also had promised a lot and they did nothing,” Wajid added.
Lovleen Sharma, a student of University of Delhi, is hopeful about fulfilment of AAP’s promises but fears that Congress and BJP may try to disturb its plans.
“Congress and BJP will try to make people rise against AAP by making comments that the government will not run for long and that it is impossible for them to complete the things they have promised,” Sharma said.
“I am sure AAP will be able to fulfil everything what it has promised, the two main things in which the party can face problems is passing Jan Lokpal bill and giving Delhi statehood,” she added.
They (Congressmen) considered themselves as VIPs rather than common people but AAP leaders consider themselves as common people.
There are only two challenges before the government – one is fear of withdrawal of support from Congress and second is to pass lokpal bill.
Sharma thinks that it would be quite challenging for Kejriwal and AAP to keep people’s trust.
BJP and Congress will start hooliganism for sure if Kejriwal gets success in his work,” Verma, who voted AAP in the recent assembly election, fears.
Sharma thinks that on these two points the Congress will not support them and may cause problems.
Sharma says that AAP will be able to provide water for sure but cutting down the electricity bill to half might be a problem for him as the Congress and opposition may not support him in that.
Nisar Ul Haq, professor of Political Science in Jamia Millia Islamia, thinks that it is a tough task for Kejriwal to fulfil the promises.
“At this moment it seems very far from achieving it but somehow if he manages it then he will become popular among the citizens of Delhi. But it is very very tough task before him,” Haq told India Tomorrow.
“He has to do things fast and there are people surrounding him who are inexperienced. They have never been in politics and they don’t know it,” Haq added.
Haq says that in our country bureaucracy is more corrupt and it is very hard to deal with it.
“In India it is the bureaucracy which is more corrupt. So how will he deal with the bureaucracy?”
“He has knowledge about bureaucracy as he was part of it but now he has to deal with thousands of bureaucrats,” he said.
“You can deal with one person who is corrupt but if you find that from top to the bottom there is corruption then you cannot eliminate each and every person,” Haq added.
AAP has promised in its manifesto that households using up to 700 litres of water (per day) would be given free water. Delhi government’s economic survey 2012-13 says an average family in Delhi requires about 688 litres of water per day – it means almost entire households in Delhi will benefit from the AAP promise. Then one can ask as to how the Jal Board will run if it does not charge water at all.
“There are no legal problems in giving free water, but a financial problem exists. How will the Jal Board run?” former Chief Secretary of Delhi Omesh Saigal has been quoted by Hindustan Times daily as saying.
Kiran Bedi, member of team Anna, also raised questions.
“AAP can’t do what it promises so easily. For any water issue, the party needs to coordinate with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana,” Bedi was quoted as saying by the English daily.
Earlier responding to Kejriwal’s 18 point letter senior Congress leader and former Delhi power minister Haroon Yusuf had said that youths who joined AAP should compel Kejriwal to fulfil all promises.
“They owe it to their voters to form the government. I appeal to the youth who joined AAP to compel Kejriwal to fulfil the promises he listed in the manifesto,” Yusuf said.
