AAP losing ground in Delhi; Support base eroding among middle-class

After a nearly complete whitewash in recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the Aam Aadmi Party has been insisting on early Assembly elections in Delhi. The party even filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking early elections in the city, but recent trends show that going for polls under present scenario could be disastrous for the party. Over the last couple of months the vote-bank of Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has shrinked, thanks to the tantrums or drama by party leaders which has left bitter taste in minds of middle class voters.

In an attempt to recover the lost ground in the capital, the party recently went to its birth place- Jantar Mantar, though media reports termed the rally a success but the significant middle-class supporters were missing from the venue.

"We have lost support of middle class which supported us wholeheartedly during the Assembly polls. It was due to some decisions like dharna at Rail Bhawan, midnight raid by Law Minister and resignation of AAP leaders," an AAP leader was quoted as saying in media reports.

The enthusiasm of the middle class, the support base which brought AAP to power in Delhi, has now been replaced with disappointment and in some cases even anger. Cheap publicity stunts, self-contradiction and autocracy tarnished the positive image of the party, soon many people became disillusioned and left the party.

AAP's drama drifted the party away from middle-class

The Aam Aadmi Party manifested itself early on when AAP MLA and then Law Minister Somnath Bharti conducted a midnight raid in Khirki extension of South Delhi against an alleged prostitution racket. Then, Arvind Kejriwal's decision to stage dharna against Central Government didn't go down well among the middle-class.

Moreover, Kerjiwal's desperate attempts to remain in news by throwing tantrums and making U-turn from his comments also annoyed his supporters.

Cheap publicity stunts, self-contradiction and autocracy tarnished image of AAP

Also, the decision of power hungry Kejriwal to leave Delhi mid-way for pursuing his national ambitions further drifted the middle-class from the party. Kejriwal made endless promises to one and all in Delhi but, could not fulfil even a single promise in his 49-day rule. This further alienated the masses from the AAP.

AAP's internal crisis:

The crisis of leadership in the Aam Aadmi Party is another reason which led drifted away the party from its significant voters. AAP has seen a galaxy of senior leaders, like Shazia Ilmi, Yogendra Yadav, Anjali Damania -- who were a part of the core committee -- resigning from all party posts due to one reason or another. This further cements the fact that if the party cannot bind together its leaders, what good it can do for the people?

AAP no more aam aadmi party?

When the AAP emerged on the political horizon, the country was stirred by the prospect of young and dynamic leaders cleansing the system, but in a hurry to jump on the national scene, the party compromised on all principles that gave birth to it. Not only had the party given tickets to millionaire candidates, but also the corrupt one. It also went on to join hands with dreaded Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda.

The middle class thinks that Kejriwal has lost his credential as an anti-corruption crusader.

Kejriwal and co showed themselves to be no different from other politicians - who have the hidden ambition and agenda.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had 28 seats in the 70-member House in the last Assembly polls.

The party then went on to form the Government with outside support from Congress but relinquished power 49 days later over the Jan Lokpal Bill issue.