Kiran Bedi Kiran Bedi

Kiran Bedi a member of India Against Corruption tells India Today Deputy Editor Sandeep Unnithan the causes of AAP's downfall.

Q. You had refused to join the AAP despite a very tempting offer from the AAP leadership. Now, nearly a year, later, do you feel vindicated?

A. I knew what I did not want to do then. I did not want their politics, whether they win or they lose. What mattered to me was what I did not want to do and work with! I am happy to have listened to my inner voice/intuition

Q. Exactly what went wrong with the party? Was it the lure of political power, personal ambitions or that they scaled up too quickly?

A. Total impatience! Unpreparedness, over reach, unilaterlism, manipulation, over- exposure, overestimation, negativism, holier than thou approach, over-confidence, lawlessness, rowdyism, self centered, uncivil behavior. Do not wish to hurt anyone. But this was evident.

Q. Do you sense a loss of momentum that AAP had generated especially after the assembly elections in Delhi?

A. Indeed. Lost trust hugely, for those who have kept track of them. I am not sure of those who did not have the capacity to.

Q. What is the future of the movement against corruption? To what extent was it about removing the government of the day, the UPA.

A. The IAC movement spread the anti incumbency nationally which was further aggravated by incapacity of the UPA led by Mr Rahul Gandhi. While on the other hand the same anti-incumbency was fully exploited by the organisational capability of the BJP, convincingly articulated and communicated by the tireless Mr Narendra Modi

Q. The NDA govt has shown, at least to begin with, that they would like to use the existing system to work by empowering the bureaucracy and officials. To what extent does this clash with the AAP's model of bottom-up governance?

A. BJP/NDA leadership has begun right earnest with caution, maturity and wisdom. It's backed by huge experience and capability. It is moving steadily and surely. BJP knows it has huge challenges and promises to meet without loss of time. There is just nothing to compare with upstarts!