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Nature abhors a vacuum and fills it, politics in a democracy also abhors a vacuum. Since the Lok Sabha election results were announced in May, 2014 the resounding victory in favour of the BJP and the subsequent results in favour of the party in assembly elections had the Congress and other opposition parties in absolute disarray and a tizzy that the opposition space was up for grabs without any serious contenders. February, 10 2015 has changed all that, the thrashing that Goliath suffered at the hands of David has defined the way forward on the political landscape of India. Even though it will take some time for the AAP to morph into an all India party, and the party has taken the right decision in rejecting a foray into Bihar instead eyeing its chances better in Punjab in 2016, there is absolutely no doubt that there is a groundswell of support for the AAP's brand of politics which is definitely not restricted to urban middle class, as some political pundits would like to believe, but will cut across the urban and rural divide. Arvind Kejriwal and his team have realised that politics is a marathon and not a sprint and patience is a great virtue to have. It takes time to build an organisation and in India politics in states are so widely divergent in context and substance that even neighbouring states have very little in common. This is go source probably one of the reasons for the downfall of the Congress party which was far too centralized in its decision making from Delhi that local issues and problems were being fixed from a national perspective leading to the rise of a number of regional players.

The BJP in contrast under Modi and Shah are highly focussed entity with a better cadre base than other political parties in India. No doubt the pasting they received in Delhi will have huge lessons for them and a course correction on the disconnect so soon after the Lok Sabha elections. Despite Narendra Modi's success as a chaiwallah to CM to PM, today Modi personifies someone from the elite class a far cry from his humble origins whereas Arvind Kejriwal resonates among the masses for his simplicity though one would have to wait and see whether the trappings of power will claim another politician. AAP's appeal has an earthy flavour to it with transparency and simplicity as its core mantra best personified by the muffler man. The same cannot be said about the BJP in its present form with the Lok Sabha and subsequent assembly victories there is touch of halo and arrogance surrounding the party. The BJP is fortunate that the traditional opposition parties including the Congress is thoroughly discredited that a BJP government with a comfortable majority in Bihar in the forthcoming assembly elections appears a reality. The chances of the non BJP votes consolidating in Bihar also appears very unlikely because of the very low credibility that the opposition parties carry and the Congress party's near absence in the state for a very long time. These parties carry such a huge baggage of corruption and misgovernance that they are in no position to emulate the AAP's performance in Delhi even if they were to come together to consolidate the non BJP vote for convenience and not ideology. And Nitish Kumar in not so favourable company paints himself as an opportunist.

Narendra Modi should probably be thanking his stars in the election of Kejriwal since he has a much better option than the rag tag highly corrupt BJP Delhi unit even though AAP is on the other side of political divide, but as Prime Minister he will have to reach out. In Kejriwal despite their political differences he will find someone who is focussed and above corruption to implement India's growth as an economic power on the world stage.

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