Aggressive speeches directed at AAP leaders and heckling over the tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill marked the last day in power of “anarchist” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“From the scenes I have seen today, it is clear that we have to be in Parliament,” he said in his last address to the Delhi Assembly.
On Friday evening, the supporters made their way to the party office on Hanuman Road in central Delhi. After his cabinet decided to resign, they waited for him to make a formal announcement from the party office. And they were sure that he will make a stronger pitch for the parliamentary election.
On the office premises a big projection screen went up, fitted with two giant speakers. Live telecast of the Assembly proceedings and later live TV news had everybody gripped.
Supporters argued on TV why they thought Kejriwal made a right decision. “I am very happy. If as a chief minister, you can’t function properly because of unruly opposition, it is important to step down,” said party worker Mithun Khanagwal. “After all, the role of the government is to make strong legislation,” he added.
At 8.15 pm Kejriwal arrived at the party office. “Is destroying a mike and tearing paper constitutional? And bringing Jan Lokpal Bill unconstitutional,” he asked.
All heads, with white caps on , were turned towards him amidst the rain. He spoke from the first floor window that was fitted with two fluorescent bulbs, at the two bottom corners.
And with his two close aides Education Minister Manish Sisodia and chief spokesperson Yogendra Yadav, he was a brightly lit picture for every camera shot.
Every word he spoke drew loud cheers from supporters. He said that the opposition’s attempt to block the anti-corruption bill was motivated. Kejriwal picked up names from his long list of the “corrupt” and each time his supporters shouted, “Chor hai! chor hai!”
Kesav Gupta, a businessman from Sahadra in east Delhi who took part in 32-hour dharna near Rail Bhawan, managed to reach the party office an hour before Kejriwal arrived. He argued with other supporters on how BJP and Congress tried to look good by “copying AAP’s election manifesto”.
“After the FIR against Mukesh Ambani, both parties got together,” he said. “When aam aadmi come together, the mood is always patriotic,” Gupta said, and added that Kejriwal had drawn a right analogy by calling Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung a “Viceroy of UPA’s British Empire”.
Jung had written to the Speaker against tabling the Jan Lokpal Bill.
“We only had a small anti-corruption branch. That alone troubled them (the corrupt in Sheila Dikshit’s government),” Kejriwal said to cheering supporters, “They say we don’t know governance. I say, acting against the corrupt is governance.”
Supporters erupted in a long joyous cheer when Kejriwal said he was going to submit the resignation letter to the LG and vowed to teach the corrupt a lesson in the upcoming elections.
AAP supporters who came from various constituencies went back shouting slogans “Pehle Sheila hari, ab ki Sonia ki bari” and soon “Pehle Sheila hari, ab ki Modi ki bari”. Rishi, who came from RK Puram, said, “Ambitions are defined by the stature of your opponent.”
The next day Yogendra Yadav told reporters, “It is clear that Aam Aadmi Party will contest the general elctions under Kejriwal’s leadership across the country.” He said the AAP government had given up power on the basis of a principle, which was unique to India.
Critics tweeted. Kiran Bedi said, “Did CM delhi resign for Lokpal or LokSabha? Because he is keeping Lokpal issue alive even when it is good law! He does not tell people this!”
Her post was met with a sharp rebuttal from Health Minister Satyendar Jain, “Ma’am than you tell people that Delhi Janlokpal is a good bill. Can you?”
The party received donations of Rs 10 lakh in less than a day for their electoral campaign, said party workers.
When Kejriwal was recounting his government's achievements in his speech at the party office, he said, “We have tried to work with utmost honesty. We might have made some mistakes. We are human too.”
Supporters shouted, “Nahi hui! Nahi hui!” (No mistakes were made)
