The News Minute | May 24, 2014 | 4.51 pm ISTArvind Kejriwal who catapulted to fame and power on the wings of the anti-corruption movement that swept India in 2011 is now eating some humble pie. Chief Minister of New Delhi for 49 days and Prime Minister aspirant soon after bringing down his own gobvernment, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) just heard from one of his colleagues Shazia Ilmi through his preferred medium – the media. Coterie Crippled AAPWhat the Congress Party achieved in 60 years, Kejriwal achieved in 60 days – he managed to distance himself and close the doors to the very people who had dug the trenches, been in there with him and carried him on their shoulders when time was right. They dismissed his tantrums as stress and his demands on them as pressure of politics in India. AAP succeeded because its volunteers and believers connected with Kejriwal. AAP plummeted because a coterie of select people built an iron wall around Kejriwal, which made him unreachable to some of his closest friends and advisers. Ironically the same allegations were made even in the Congress party, against some of its top leaders. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.Drama serves a limited purposeWhen Kejriwal took to the streets taking large parts of aspiring Delhi with him, he forgot one thing – people were following him because they trusted him. Once in power instead of getting on with the business of delivering on his promises, Kejriwal slept on the road, Somnath Bharati slapped people who in turn slapped Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav tried the trick again. Profit is not a dirty word When Kejriwal targeted Robert Vadra and Nitin Gadkari, thousands of Indians stopped and listened. When more names and bank accounts were revealed, people thought this many was serious. Nothing followed. Accusing is one thing, proving is another – surprising that Kejriwal who was an income-tax official didn’t know the difference. You cannot eat corruptionThe Anna Hazare movement was the right thing at the right time. India was tired of corruption, Indians were looking for an alternative, something different from the Congress and the BJP, something new and spirited. Kejriwal turned out to be neither a 100-metre sprinter nor a marathon runner. His road shows remained just that – people returned home to find their lot had remained the same while Kejriwal had moved into posh surroundings and posher conversations. Corruption was idle chatter. All is not lost…Ilmi said if she is given a relevant role, she will return. She speaks for thousands of Indians who threw their lot behind Kejriwal. For that to happen, Kejriwal has to reinvent himself and for that to happen he has to stop and listen to the people who made him. Inner-party democracy is not a campaign slogan. It is a necessity for political parties to survive.