SP has lessons to learn from AAP

LUCKNOW: The stunning success of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi election is an extension of the change Uttar Pradesh witnessed in 2012. The overwhelming win of the Samajwadi Party in UP election was the result of swing of votes towards the 'new kind of politics' promised by party's new face — Akhilesh Yadav.
And surprisingly, SP's rival, Bahujan Samaj Party, had refused to take Akhilesh seriously then just as the Congress and the BJP debunked both AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal during Delhi election.While suffering from delusion, the two national parties failed to read the common man's aspiration for change. The void thus created in the perception and reality was abridged by AAP, whose simple message of honest and clean governance appealed to a wide cross-section of the electorate, rising above narrow vote bank politics.
In 2012, Akhilesh Yadav being at the helm of his party's campaign had many advantages. A young and energetic youth that he is, Akhilesh is a sharp communicator and has the ability to connect with people. He owes a lot of this to his training under his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. In addition, his grooming and overseas education caught the attention of youth.
The ripple effect of this was that Akhilesh was seen as a hope amid the many-sided collapse witnessed by the state under the rule of his predecessor, Mayawati. Corruption was at its extreme and UP became an address of dishonesty, bribery and fraud. Nearly a dozen ministers of the Mayawati government had been jailed and half a dozen others faced various inquiries on heinous charges of rape and murder.
Coincidentally, UP assembly poll in 2012 took place when Anna Hazare had galvanized the nation against corruption. Team Anna included Arvind Kejriwal and thousands of his supporters who are now part of AAP. Anna refused to join politics but has continued his crusade against corruption. Team Anna also held several demonstrations in UP's urban areas, particularly in towns on the outskirts of Delhi. So, Anna movement also helped the SP, which was then seen as a better alternative to BSP.
But there has been a significant change in the situation now. Arvind Kejriwal is no longer with Anna and has become a darling of common man after leading AAP to a spectacular win within a year of its formation. His experiment has proved that people are hankering for a change and looking for a better alternative. The success of AAP shows that people have preferred it over the experience and political history of both the Congress and the BJP. Though the administrative ability of AAP is yet to be tested, people have rallied round it. This is being attributed to honesty and sincerity in the message of AAP.
The next move of the AAP will be expansion of its ideology for which it will find takers in urban areas. The party is now concentrating on a large number of UP towns and building its organisation with the support of like-minded people, particularly youth. AAP's presence in the Lok Sabha elections will make the politics far more competitive.
This should be a lesson for the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP where its performance is not perceived up to the expectations of youth. The single factor that brought Akhilesh to limelight was his tough stand against criminalization in politics when he refused SP ticket to alleged mafia-turned politician DP Yadav in 2012. This generated a hope and shifted people towards the SP. But reversely, the reaction is also now sure when the party decided to field another alleged mafia Atiq Ahmed from Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat.
Besides, the government is also found wanting on many counts and this has bred despondency among the voters vying for change in the political discourse. It may provide opportunity to the AAP to enter UP.