Saturday, February 15, 2014

Why Kejriwal Should Not Have Quit

I am all for not clinging to power. But I am against throwing away power for any flimsy reason because it lets down many who have trusted you with it.

Arvind Kejriwal quit because the Lok Pal Bill could not get passed. It's not the end of the world. There are many other issues that one can handle and tackle and come back to this Bill later. So unless there's a high risk, high return thought behind it, it does not make sense to quit.

The public cannot and may not reelect him every time he gets upset and quits. He has to learn to handle the heat and mould things in a way that he gets his way finally. To think he will win all the time is being too optimistic. Quitting may be seen as being noble by some, but many would see it as being too fickle and whimsical. Not good.

There are many things one can do when in power. Many good things. One does not come to power with only a one point agenda and a fixed time frame. Sometimes it takes longer. Some battles have to be fought later. But as long as one has the power, one should use it to get as many things right as can be done.

Things will never be easy for someone who has such high ideals. One must realize that when one makes so many powerful enemies one is best to handle the heat when in power. One significant act has been filing the FIR against Moily, Reliance, Ambani, Sibal etc. With it there is bound to be great pressure on all fronts. The Congress, the BJP will always make things difficult for him and he somehow succumbed to the trap.

When in power in a democracy where one does not have absolute power, one must look at getting six out of 10 done right. Not insist on all 10 at once. Some battles need to be fought by preparing the ground well and carefully much as Lincoln did for his 13th amendment. But one thing is for sure - you cannot do much sitting out in the street.

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