The success of the AAP experiment in Delhi was not only a result of sheer courage, tenacity and imaginativeness of the anti-corruption movement, but was also based on grassroot activism and struggles waged by Arvind Kejriwal and his comrades in the city for nearly a decade, which made them quite familiar with its socio-political terrain. With its declared intent of going national, can the AAP successfully replicate its Delhi strategy across the country?
AAP's membership drive can evoke a positive response, especially in the urban areas where there is a palpable desire for political change. But given India's size and diversity (there are 543 Loksabha constituencies), even a groundswell of urban support would not translate into an adequate number of candidates - especially winnable ones. It is here that the AAP's approach towards coalitions becomes crucial. It is understandable why the AAP has ruled out alliances with mainstream political parties; that will considerably dilute its "anti-establishment" image. But its stand that "like-minded groups and parties will have to merge their party with the AAP", is more likely to deter friends and potential allies.
First, this betrays the same old big-brotherly attitude towards smaller social and political movements that is characteristic of mainstream political parties, which prevents dialogue and reinvention. This hegemonic approach would make other progressive anti-establishment forces, which want to retain their ideological-political identity and priority of issues while wishing to contribute to the process of political change unleashed by the AAP, skeptical and wary. Second, the call for mergers rather than principled, programmatic alliances is more likely to attract defectors and disgruntled elements from other political formations rather than genuine forces engaged in social or political movements. Through this route the AAP may become a motley crowd of opportunistic self-seekers and not those who are driven by idealism.
Third, the AAP is calling for mergers even before it has evolved a clear ideological standpoint. An AAP ideologue has recently stated that while "politics is inherently coalitional", their objective is to "turn AAP into a coalition" that harnesses the energy of people's movements while "transcending" the binary of the left and the right. This denial of the relevance of ideology by the AAP is much like the "end of history" refrain. The right does exist in Indian politics in the form of neoliberal economics, communalism, casteism, patriarchy and so on; the left stands for socialist or social democratic economic policies, secularism, social justice and gender equality. There is no vacancy on the right in India today, after Modi's anointment as BJP's PM candidate. The vacancy is on the left or centre-left, because of the looming collapse of the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the mainstream Left, mainly on account of their succumbing to neoliberal hegemony.
Global experiences of nation-wide mass movements show that ideological clarity and effective coalitional strategies were vital for their success. The ANC in South Africa had allied with the SACP and COSATU in their anti-apartheid struggle. The Latin American movements succeeded in forging broad centre-left or radical-left coalitions against the Washington consensus, of which the World Social Forum was a precursor.
Greece is the most recent example, where the core party, the Synaspismos (which in Greek literally means "coalition"), evolved through the anti-austerity movements into a larger coalition of the radical Left - SYRIZA, and has become the principal opposition party today. Far from representing stagnation, principled coalitions have helped these movements to expand and grow beyond their original constituencies. The AAP has much to learn from these experiences.
Finally, the AAP should also be realistic about its electoral plan. Even the Congress and the BJP cannot credibly claim to be providing a national level alternative without regional allies. Alliances and coalitions represent India's historical, social, linguistic and cultural diversities. Efforts to impose monoliths are bound to fail, especially for a new party, which is still grappling with its programmatic contours. The "aam admi" party, for instance, is yet to present an agenda for the "aam aurat", or the single largest occupation of the country, the farmers. It is only a more democratic and open-minded approach towards coalition-building that can help the AAP emerge as a credible and pro-people alternative at the national level.
(The writer is a woman's rights activist and lecturer at Bharati College, Delhi University)
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
AAP terms may hurt tie-up bids
Dengan url
http://obecedes.blogspot.com/2014/01/aap-terms-may-hurt-tie-up-bids.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
AAP terms may hurt tie-up bids
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
AAP terms may hurt tie-up bids
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar