Arvind Kejriwal is Indias Beppe Grillo Link - http://www.themalaymailonline.

com/opinion/gauravdaga/article/arvind-kejriwal-is-indias-beppe-grillo Italy - famously known for its obsession with the F word Ferrari, Fashion, Food, Family, Football, had some problems because of the F word Fascism. A country, which evolved from both the sides of the political spectrum revealed ideologies as an encumbrance for Italians. Blessed with beautiful landscape, remarkable art masterpieces, the economy is appearing to be stagnant for many reasons. Monstrous bureaucracy, expired politicians and corruption are some of its drawbacks. India infamously too is showing some of the characteristics of Italian politics. As Italians, Indians to believe that politicians have become part of the problem. Indians today feel disgusted with the kind of corruption it has witnessed in the last few years. Beppe Grillo - A comedian turned politician, who inspired the Five Star Movement (Movimento 5 Stelle) that shook the foundations of Italian politics says We have to bring politics back to the citizens. We must do politics ourselves. A little more everyday! Just like Beppe Grillos Five Star Movement Party, Indians witnessed something similar. It was Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), stirred up from 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement. Like Grillo, Kejriwal also positioned himself as a disruptive force in Indias traditional politics. He appeared as a Messiah to a mass. Citizens started to believe as an only hope to get disenchanted with organized politics. Kejriwals objectives and style was stunningly similar to Beppe Grillos. Both with their own political party provide an alternative model in the style of politics. The Five Star Movement, which grew exponentially from Grillos blog, went on to protest with an objective of out stinging 25 members of parliament. Similarly, Aam Admi Party, which evolved out of anti corruption movement, propagates the idea of cleaner politics. Today, Five Star Movement key ideas are oriented toward issues of social justice and equality, such as public water, sustainable transport, development, corruption and environmentalism. Likewise, the Aam Admi Party also focuses on worsening prices of electricity, water, need for sustainable transportation (Autorickshaw), elimination of bureaucratized corruption, halting VIP culture, ending oligarchic conglomerates and so on. Nonetheless of their specific issues, the bottom line is their opposition to the current dispensation which, they say, represents old politics that is out of sync with the public mood and peoples aspirations. The laundry list of public grievances reads very much like that of clothes. And supporters hail their campaign as revolutionary. However, in an analytical comparison, one of the critical and potentially dangerous attitudes of Grillos and Kejriwals supporters is that they often assume they are voicing the real needs of society, accusing those who do not understand or support. Party members often cite people being naive or ill

informed about issues. If we assume the principle of constitutionally mandated equality, then one has to accept that theoretically every-body can run politics including the petty bourgeois. On another similarity, both the parties have articulated several propositions particularly in response to what they regard as rampant corruption. First, both call for redrafting the existing anti-corruption law implemented in the respective country. Second, both call for bringing back the stolen money from the political caste. Third, both call for providing law making in the stands of the common man and fourth, both call politicians as thieves. When Al-Jazeera once asked whether his 5 Star Movement (MI5) in Italy can be exported to another country? Beppe replied saying, If we can combine the extraordinary tool of Internet and technology with a human face, it can effectively lead to a power shift anywhere in the world. Appropriately, Indias AAP as well believes in penetrating social media to its maximum extent. Moving to the challenges, firstly, for both the parties, it will be on converting a protest movement into a stable governing party system. Then, it will be on its functioning of internal democratic structure. Because skeptics have started to believe its dangers in calling grassroots movement speaking on behalf of the people, but rather a powerful organization relying on the best tools of technology and networking. Be it otherwise for Beppes charisma or Arvinds common man attitude. And finally, it will be partys ability in moving its philosophy beyond urban and progressive areas. The only difference between both the parties is that Five Star Movement ended up with almost 25.5% of the vote in last years general election (emerged as a third alternative in Italian politics), while the Aam Admi Party after running Delhi for 49 days is out of power, at least for now. Following Arvind Kejriwals resignation, the partys nation wide popularity and donations increased rapidly. Fittingly, MI5s popularity and donations also rose swiftly in 2012, building on its several strategies devised during local elections. The Five Star Movements success in general elections and its unwillingness to share power in a coalition with any other party, forced some uneasy coalitions in Italy. Likewise, AAP is showing traits of unwillingness to share power. The upcoming national general elections will prove some of its principles and implications. If one raises the issue ofcan Aam Aadmi Party be the largest party in the upcoming general election? It might sound utopian. But certainly, one can say that Aam Aadmi Partys leader Arvind Kejriwal represents Indias Beppe Grillo, with the heaps of similarities and challenges he carry. The Aam Aadmi Party, which started a year ago, distinctly shows Arvind Kejriwal as Indias Limbo of the Fathers in contemporary politics. However, if AAP needs to improvise on its wider goals, it needs to learn lessons from its equivalent in Europe. Of course, for longer innings party requires broadening its base, be it in social, economic or political policies. Either way, AAP is a party to watch.