This man Arvind Kejriwal - love him or hate him, can't ignore him for his penchant for staying in the limelight. Like a moth to fire, come a crisis, he jumps right into it, attracting enough attention to be newsworty in this era of 24x7 New cycle.
He is a smart politicians who understands the nation's pulse, and understands that to be lucky, one needs to be at the right place at the right time. So he manufacturers or manipulates news for himself. On the other hand, we the people, knowingly or inadvertently contribute to his ambition by readily falling for his antics.
An IITian who qualified for Civil Services (I am sure he joined with a vested interest, certainly not a burning patriotic desire to serve the nation, the usual tall lines from Civil Service aspirants).
AK, popular acronym for Arvind Kejriwal, was smart enough to understand politics where perception matters. Soon he figured out, the best way to commence his political career was sitting next to Anna Hazare, which would enhance his image as a fighter against corruption and catapult him into national limelight.
He also understood that histrionics matter in a cynical nation, explained by the popularity of Bollywood movies (In some South Indian states the thin line between Cinema and Politics has long evaporated). So from the day one he started his NAUTANKI (tantrums), media readily fell for it. It gave him the much sought after attention which he quickly grabbed and media their TRP. Public hankering for a messiah who can bring cataclysmic changes, readily bought it.
He travelled on Delhi Metro to his office during WOH 49 DIN (the number of days of his first short term tenure as CM). He sold himself to the electorates by coughing a bit more than necessary on camera wrapped in his trademark muffler, slept on roadside in January cold and following summer had photo shoots while jumping into Ganga. Though fully assured of his defeat, the diminutive, shewd AK figured out that standing against a resurgent Modi in Varanasi is the best way to capture nation's attention and imagination. He got both in spite of his defeat.
This is Kejriwal's way of story telling, but it tells a lot of story. All he has offered to the Delhites nothing but freebies which may not be sustainable on the long run. Being autocratic, he is now no 1 to no 10 in his party, not allowing any inside debate or disagreement.
His party's manifesto offers nothing new, looks like a carbon copy of old Congress socialist party. He hobnobs with likes of Laloo and Mulayam, political thief of thieves. And his latest antics, questioning the much discussed "surgical strike". By going against the zingoistic tide, Kejriwal yet vindicates his forte, his innate ability to stay in the news cycle.
By doing so he has taken a calculated risk - as in any profession, there is no gain without risk. But the image of AAP has already taken a hit. The party is no more seen as the alternative one wished for - that's the whole point. It's trump card, his party's projection as a cleaner party with a difference and a long term alternative to mainstream parties has suffered a dent.
To end on a lighter note - as the approaching winter reminds me of his grey sweater and muffer clad attire, my ode to him :
KEJRI RE KEJRI RE
TERE PYARE PYARE MUFFLER.
He is a smart politicians who understands the nation's pulse, and understands that to be lucky, one needs to be at the right place at the right time. So he manufacturers or manipulates news for himself. On the other hand, we the people, knowingly or inadvertently contribute to his ambition by readily falling for his antics.
An IITian who qualified for Civil Services (I am sure he joined with a vested interest, certainly not a burning patriotic desire to serve the nation, the usual tall lines from Civil Service aspirants).
AK, popular acronym for Arvind Kejriwal, was smart enough to understand politics where perception matters. Soon he figured out, the best way to commence his political career was sitting next to Anna Hazare, which would enhance his image as a fighter against corruption and catapult him into national limelight.
He also understood that histrionics matter in a cynical nation, explained by the popularity of Bollywood movies (In some South Indian states the thin line between Cinema and Politics has long evaporated). So from the day one he started his NAUTANKI (tantrums), media readily fell for it. It gave him the much sought after attention which he quickly grabbed and media their TRP. Public hankering for a messiah who can bring cataclysmic changes, readily bought it.
He travelled on Delhi Metro to his office during WOH 49 DIN (the number of days of his first short term tenure as CM). He sold himself to the electorates by coughing a bit more than necessary on camera wrapped in his trademark muffler, slept on roadside in January cold and following summer had photo shoots while jumping into Ganga. Though fully assured of his defeat, the diminutive, shewd AK figured out that standing against a resurgent Modi in Varanasi is the best way to capture nation's attention and imagination. He got both in spite of his defeat.
This is Kejriwal's way of story telling, but it tells a lot of story. All he has offered to the Delhites nothing but freebies which may not be sustainable on the long run. Being autocratic, he is now no 1 to no 10 in his party, not allowing any inside debate or disagreement.
His party's manifesto offers nothing new, looks like a carbon copy of old Congress socialist party. He hobnobs with likes of Laloo and Mulayam, political thief of thieves. And his latest antics, questioning the much discussed "surgical strike". By going against the zingoistic tide, Kejriwal yet vindicates his forte, his innate ability to stay in the news cycle.
By doing so he has taken a calculated risk - as in any profession, there is no gain without risk. But the image of AAP has already taken a hit. The party is no more seen as the alternative one wished for - that's the whole point. It's trump card, his party's projection as a cleaner party with a difference and a long term alternative to mainstream parties has suffered a dent.
To end on a lighter note - as the approaching winter reminds me of his grey sweater and muffer clad attire, my ode to him :
KEJRI RE KEJRI RE
TERE PYARE PYARE MUFFLER.
No comments:
Post a Comment