It's over more than half a decade after the abolition of princely states, our Indian politics still functions as an oligarchy, where amplified credentials, size of bungalow, nature of security detail, and length of cavalcade demarcate the ruler from the ruled. There used be long cavalcade ( sometimes upto 35 car procession) while our netas move from one place to another. Swanky building to reside for them.  Now, post AAP victory at Delhi, some of the change that came to our sight : Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren ceremoniously discarded the siren on his car. In Jaipur, new Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje graciously refused to move into the official bungalow. In Raipur, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh announced that he and his ministers will no longer be given customary gun salutes. If a litmus test was needed for the impact of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) victory in Delhi, it can be found in how political leaders across the land are now falling over each other to show that they're 'somewhat common' too. For once in Indian politics, it has become fashionable to be ordinary. It compelled the mainstream parties to respond and take a relook [sic] at their own strategies.

 

      Holding a broom has never been as respectable and fashionable in Delhi as it is today. Whether in the  posh neighborhoods of South Delhi or the slums, brooms have become a status symbol, a symbol of new political identity. Representing this identity is a burgeoning political organization, called  the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP, meaning the Common Man’s Party) formed less than a year ago. It made history when  the AAP not only decimated the oldest party of the country, the Indian National Congress, in the Delhi assembly elections, but also checkmated the march of the opposition BJP. When the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerged on the Indian political horizon, the country was stirred by the prospect of young and dynamic leaders cleansing the system. The coterie culture of established political parties has left the common man with little scope for participation in the system other than casting votes. The new party created high hopes in millions of Indians who were tired of corruption and criminalisation of politics. The Aam Aadmi Party is making efforts to introduce more participation in governance by referendums to determine the people’s will and mass meetings to resolve their problems. More democratic participation in decision-making has become necessary in the 21st century, not only as an ideological preference but also as a practical necessity. However, as the AAP’s efforts so far have shown, the management of these processes is not easy. The challenge is to combine more public participation with sound decision-making. The very fact that the AAP managed to attract both the elite and marginalized sections of society in the metropolis demonstrates a new maturity in urban voters who are not swayed by class and ethnic identity. The AAP’s  success in Delhi has opened the floodgates in terms of  people’s desire to become a part of this movement. Prominent personalities are joining the party every day, including high profile professionals who are quitting their careers to do so. The AAP has announced its intent to contest the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held within a few months. It has launched a membership drive that will take the party strength to one crore in a few weeks.

           While the AAP has been quick to deliver on promises there are many challenges ahead. First, it is still a one-man party, being carried forward by the charisma of its leader Kejriwal. It is essential to find credible leaders in order to move ahead. To find leaders with impeccable backgrounds and a selfless drive to serve the nation is indeed the first challenge. The second and more important challenge is to find an economic model that will deliver not only a clean government to its people but also a continuously improving standard of living – in other words, growth. It is said that good economics is bad politics. The converse may be equally true. It is a long-term challenge for the people’s party and people’s government to deliver economic growth.