A civil society movement against corruption mutated into a political party, and in two consecutive years formed a government in Delhi. The victory of the party showed a mirror to established political parties that increasingly rely on the supposed charisma of one man or woman to win elections. The party, however, failed to shrug off the techniques that had brought it fame in its civil society avatar, the politics of accusation, ‘naming and shaming’, and blame, and become a party that concentrates on democratic governance. Three, this has occurred because the party has failed to establish mechanisms for reconciling difference of opinion among members. For this the party has to learn to combine the politics of political mobilisation with political vision and robust inner-party organisation.

Source: The Hindu September 15, 2016 20:03 UTC