The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party completed 49 days in power in Delhi on Friday, during which time it has taken small but definite steps to leave an indelible mark on the Capital.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government 2.0, by most accounts, is a more stoic and ‘professional’ version of its predecessor.
Its 49-day stint at the helm of the Capital back in 2013 had been underlined by daily visuals of dharna-fuelled activism, dramatic showdowns and questions revolving around the common man credentials of Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers.
Jan Lokpal takes
a backseat
Jan Lokpal, the singular poll plank that nudged the party to form the minority Government in 2013, has given way to an emphasis on actual governance in 2015.
Publicised actions against allegedly corrupt Government officials and the system that allowed them to abuse inherent loopholes have been replaced by efforts to give the latter more teeth.
DDC comes to the fore
Subsidies have been announced this time as well – but with meticulous procedural detail, activist-like kangaroo courts bordering on vigilantism have been replaced by Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC).
Efforts to educate first-time legislators on tackling the ‘system’ are also in place.
These seem to have been replaced by the Chief Minister’s stand-off with the Mayors of the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCDs) and the office of the Lieutenant-Governor.
However, Mr. Kejriwal is missing from Janata Durbars that were the mainstay of his first time as Chief Minster.
Not even a single one of these durbars have been organised at the massive scale that characterised them in 2013.
From juggling over half a dozen portfolios then Mr. Kejriwal has eased into the driver’s seat watching his Cabinet’s every move.
The Chief Minister’s deliberate exit from media spotlight is evident as he accepted that using a bigger car and staying in a bigger house were no longer against his party’s core values.
