Opinion

Kejriwal wants people to pick AAP CM candidate; but will it backfire?

Will Kejriwal’s call to people to tele-vote on who they want as AAP CM candidate worry Bhagwant Mann?

Even as the Punjab unit of the Congress is still undecided as to whether the party’s Chief Minister candidate should be announced before the polls or not, the Aam Aadmi Party has gone a step ahead and done something extraordinary. But, going deeper there’s much more than what meets the eye in terms of internal squabbles.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has said that the voters will have the right to choose their Chief Minister if the party posts victory in Punjab. All the voters will need to do is to dial the number 7074870748 to name their choice of Chief Minister.

Kejriwal leaves AAP CM candidate choice to voters

And, after the people name their choice, Arvind Kejriwal will announce the party’s face on January 17. The tele-voting campaign is being seen by the party as a major step towards its political journey in Punjab. The phone number is open for calls, WhatsApp and SMS messaging till 5 pm on January 17.

The party aims to go through responses and feedback and finalise its Chief Minister candidate. With the “Janta Chunegi Apna CM” campaign, AAP is looking at making a huge leap in making the people a significant part of the democratic process, as it should be.

However, Kejriwal’s plan may not be a cake walk for sure.  This is because senior leader and Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann had seen himself in the reckoning for the Chief Minister’s post. With Kejriwal announcing the “Janta Chunegi Apna CM campaign, Mann will see his hopes dashed.

Bhagwant Mann had been just waiting to see himself being named the party’s face in Punjab, but when the state goes to the polls on February 14, Mann will have to contend himself as one among the many AAP party leaders contesting the election.

Though Mann hasn’t reacted to the new campaign, Kejriwal is confident that Mann will understand the new plan and stand by it. Terming Mann as his younger brother, Kejriwal admitted that he also wanted Mann to be Punjab Chief Minister but his new decision that the people should be given the chance to decide comes as foremost.

Will Mann voice his Man ki Baat?

Will Mann be ready to forego a golden opportunity is not currently known. He would be disappointed for sure. But the people of Punjab who vote for the AAP pick Manna as their Chief Minister candidate, there is still hope for Mann.

That would mean that Bhagwant Mann will have to wait for the evening of January 17 and hope that his chance welcome to him. And if it doesn’t, Mann is sure to be concerned and disappointed. And what his next move will be remains to be seen.

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Sanjeev Ramachandran

A journalist with 23 years of experience, Sanjeev has worked with reputed media houses such as Business Standard, The Ne More »
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