AAP’s rise shows people want credible alternative to Cong, BJP: Karat

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat has said that the rise of AAP proves that the party has been able to project itself as a viable alternative to the BJP and the Congress.

Karat said that the Assembly elections have shown the anti-Congress sentiment that is present it the country at the moment.

In an interview to The Economic Times, Karat said, "The assembly elections have clearly shown a strong anti-Congress mood among people. Congress suffered its worst defeat in Delhi and Rajasthan, where it was in government. BJP was the beneficiary of this anti-Congress mood because politics in these states has been bipolar — Congress and BJP — for a long time. But the exception has been Delhi, where Aam Aadmi Party was able to present itself as a viable alternative to the two parties. AAP's rise shows that people will support a credible alternative to Congress and BJP, if it exists."

Arvind Kejriwal. AFP

Karat had earlier said that AAP's rise showed that there was scope for alternative politics.

"The rise of AAP is a new phenomenon. It has been able to attract the support of the middle classes, who are normally apolitical. People have also responded to its image as a clean party. How far this can go beyond an urban setting remains to be seen. In many states, there are entrenched political parties. Some of them are fighting against both Congress & BJP. In such states, AAP may not be able to make much headway. The anti-corruption plank cannot alone be a viable political platform," Karat told The Economic Times.

While there has been speculation about a possible alliance of the AAP with some Left parties, especially following Prashant Bhushan's meeting with Kerala CPM leader V S Achuthanandan, Bhushan told The Indian Express that AAP will not ally with the CPM. "Corruption has seeped into its ranks," Bhushan was quoted as having said.

He did not rule out the possibility of allying with smaller Left-leaning parties.

Meanwhile Karat had also earlier praised AAP on they way it communicated with the youth on social media and said the Left needed to learn from them.

"Yes, that's an area we need to learn from the Aam Aadmi Party," NDTV had quoted him as saying.