Medha Patkar's support for the Aam Aadmi Party isn't the first innings in the political world for the social activist, who last backed a political front and clean politics in 2004 only to see it crumble.
Having announced the backing of all the social groups under the National Alliance of People's Movement, Patkar said all the organisations that are part of the umbrella organisation haven't committed to joining AAP yet but they are expected to back the party in the upcoming national elections.
"Electorally support will mean campaigning propaganda, voting and in some cases fielding candidates as well," she told CNN-IBN.
This is not the activists foray into politics: Reuters
The social activist, who has headed the Narmada Bachao Andolan, said that despite her backing for the party she wasn't certain that she would contest the polls.
Incidentally the last time Patkar made an entry into electoral politics, she was similarly unclear on whether she would contest elections.
In 2004, the NAPM had announced the creation of the People's Political Front to take on the BJP, and at the time had said their sole objective was to ensure the defeat of the National Democratic Alliance, that was led by the "communal and fundamentalist" BJP.
The party admittedly at the time leaned more towards the Left.
Justifying their presence at the time, Patkar told the Hindu,"It is necessary to challenge the changed culture of politics, which is criminal and communal to a large extent; which brings in not just religion but caste as a force, to carry on the game of numbers. Not only is it corporatised and corrupt, but crudely and confidently uses and misuses the resources of the country, with big industrial houses financing and controlling the parties."
The fund raising for the party was on the same lines as AAP's current methods of funding, and aimed to transform the political landscape of the time.
The party, which had the backing of Aruna Roy and Siddharaj Dhadha, planned to field five candidates in 2004 and extend support to many others.
An Outlook article at the time documents the idealism that surrounded the party at the time, and strangely enough it has some parallels to what AAP is doing now, albeit on a bigger scale.
"Doesn't help to keep badmouthing politicians. We must question them, make an effort to make them accountable to us. Look around you, you'll find many empty seats...people are just not making enough of an effort," Patkar said during a rally.
However, despite the calls to enter the electoral fray, the social activist finally backed out and the party moved from preparing to contest the elections ended to backing a few of them.
After backing the Anna Hazare movement, Patkar initially stuck it out with the Hazare's group and was largely associated with them, until the NAPM decided to back the AAP.
Patkar's decision to jump into politics may seem a curious one but as history shows she is no stranger to it and perhaps may have jumped the gun on entering electoral politics a decade ago. The Delhi elections are likely to have played a major role in helping the activist and her supporters make the decision to join the AAP and Patkar will be hoping to exorcise the ghost of 2004 this time round.
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