Caste factor in poll a roadblock for AAP

Vishal Joshi

National convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is touring the state nowadays as part of preparations for the Assembly elections due in October next year. Political analysts say AAP faces several challenges in Haryana politics.

Experts say Kejriwal has several achievements, including Mohalla Clinics and improved condition of government-run schools in Delhi, to his credit but Haryana voters have a tendency to vote on caste considerations.

Kushal Pal, state coordinator of ‘Lokniti’, a social science research programme of Delhi-based Centre for Study of Developing Societies, says that the absence of a credible leadership and cadre are the key challenges for AAP in Haryana.

He says that in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, AAP had a dismal performance in Haryana, which is the home state of Kejriwal. “AAP had fielded candidates on all 10 parliamentary seats but they lost even their security deposits. During the last general elections, AAP was seen as an important political alternative but it failed miserably in Haryana. Since then the party has not been able to make its presence felt in Haryana,” opines Kushal Pal, head of political science department at Dyal Singh College, Karnal.

“It is a paradox that in spite of significant economic and industrial growth, Haryana politics continues to be personality driven and caste plays the central role,” he says.

Another expert says that at present the political situation in Haryana is fluid and AAP will have to make a lot of efforts to convince voters.

Various regions of Haryana, including Deswali, Bangar and Ahir belts, have traditional leaderships with a strong political base irrespective of political parties and AAP will have to brave the ground reality, he adds.

“Haryana’s electoral politics is different from that of Delhi and Punjab where AAP had an impressive performance in the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. While religion plays an important role in the Punjab elections, caste is the deciding factor in Haryana,” he says.

He adds that Kejriwal has emerged as an important political leader, as he was a core member of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s movement. “Now, there appears to be a contradiction in Kejriwal’s stance as he is not ruling out an alliance with the new party proposed to be floated by Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Chautala and his jailed father Ajay Chautala. But it is to be seen whether AAP will finally have an alliance,” says the analyst.