“Oh! It's Kejriwal,” shouted a pedestrian as an Innova car took a turn towards the ridge area from Rajender Nagar's Nanaksar Gurdwara. Excited over a possible glimpse of the “common man” who had led his party to a sweeping victory, I sped towards the vehicle.
As the traffic approaching the junction slowed down, I peeped through the rear window of the Innova and could see children seated in the back and a man sporting a fresh haircut. As I went a little ahead and braked, I discovered it was indeed Arvind Kejriwal, having a glass of water, whom I had seen on TV minutes ago addressing his ecstatic supporters and thanking voters for his unprecedented victory.
As I waved to him, hoping to attract his attention, he acknowledged my greeting with a smile. And then he rolled down the window, extending his hand towards me. For a moment I did not know what to say to him. People travelling in other cars, waiting for the light to turn green, did not have the slightest inkling that the man who had taken the entire country by storm was in the adjoining car, like any other family man on his way back home with relatives.
Yes! we shook hands and I congratulated him for the "great victory,” only adding a word of caution: “It has come with an equally big responsibility.”
The light switched green, and I too moved on driving along with the future Delhi Chief Minister's small cavalcade, with his close friends, including Kumar Vishwas, travelling in another car and some policemen following Kejriwal's Innova in a blue beacon-fitted SUV.
This could perhaps be the last time Kejriwal would be travelling like an ordinary man, before his security protocol takes over. During his brief tenure earlier, he had refused the security cover.
