That the nation’s capital should be administered by the central government is conceded by all modern democracies. In India, the Congress government at the center in 1991 too knew this but had to go through the motions of conferring statehood on Delhi if only to keep its poll promise and be one up on its arch rival, the BJP.

The result—article 239AA of the Constitution that asks the elected Delhi government including the to-be-installed Kejriwal government to function virtually without much powers. Police, law and order and land are with the central government. Delhi Development Authority in charge of Delhi lands reports to and is controlled by the central government. Besides, in areas it can legislate the Delhi assembly has to ensure that it does not step on the toes of any central legislation. A tight ropewalk indeed for the Delhi government.

Bijli, Sadak, Paani is the tripod on which most progressive political parties stand and sell themselves to the electorate. AAP says it will produce its own power given that currently Delhi imports a whopping 80% of its power from other states. But that is easier said than done. Power plants have a long gestation period, and by the time they go on stream and start belching steam, AAP’s term may be over.

It might have set the ball rolling but the electorate believes in here and now. BJP would go to town and highlight AAP’s failure to deliver on the power front. In any case, the power to be produced would be thermal which is the most polluting. AAP, which swears by environment friendly projects, would have a tough time in combating heightened pollution in the wake of heighted use of coal. Nuclear power cannot be risked in a densely populated city like Delhi which in any case entails a much longer gestation period besides calling for huge investments. The Japanese government is a big stakeholder in the Delhi Metro but it is doubtful if it would pitch for power projects. The central government is not likely to play ball with the AAP government in setting up central power projects in Delhi given the animus between the two parties.

On the water front, digging up lakes on the banks of Yamuna for rain water harvesting and lapping up the flood waters is not a bad idea but it would barely scratch the surface. Delhi boasts of good roads though not good enough to prevent water logging due to rains.

The previous government led by Shiela Dixit, running as it did a bare bones government, has left behind a decent coffer. But it is not deep enough to finance capital expenditure on a grand scale like providing WIFI connectivity free across the city, 50% power tariff cut and 700 liters of free water per day unless cross subsidy is resorted to or subsidy is provided.

Cross subsidy would make the middle class bristle and subsidy calls for revenue. Delhi government generates revenue from two sources in the main---stamp duty on immovable properties’ transfers and excise duty on liquor. It can by all means hike the duty on liquor, which would sit well with AAP’s image as a crusader against all sorts of intoxication but once again it would barely scratch the surface. It obviously cannot revive industrialization if only to increase excise collections because environmentalists would be at its jugular. Property tax goes to NDMC and Delhi Municipal Corporation.

AAP's predicament is it does not like to play the role of a glorified municipality. It wants to take wings and fly high for which it needs money it cannot mobilize. The central government is not likely to grant it grants. Nor is it likely to give it full statehood that would its wings flap.