Political Science is just a subject but politics is a
different planet in itself. Political science is the science of politics, but
when you enter into the arena of politics, all your literary knowledge
evaporates and what comes handy is your adaptability. Adaptability is the key
to survive in politics. In politics it does not matter how many degrees you
hold or how many programming languages you know or how many journals you
published. If you know the psyche of common mass that ‘really’ votes then you
are fit for politics; rest is myth with an exception of dynasty.
In India we have seen many erudite and highly educated
people to falter in politics. Whereas many school drop outs turned out to be
king makers in politics. Dr. Manmohan Singh could not win a single Lok Sabha
election. Mr. Arun
Jaitley could not debut his Lok Sabha even though Modi’s wave blowing in his favor. Mr. Mulayam Singh, a onetime wrestler still managed to win from two seats defeating Modi’s tsunami. All of us are aware of Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Arun Jaitley educational qualification and vast experience in public life but winning elections remained a distant dream for them. They are just examples. There are many such cases. We very often hear hues and cries that good and educated people are not joining politics and those who join it could not win elections. Have you thought why?
But there is an exception. When Mr. Kejriwal miraculously
became chief minister of Delhi in 2013, many people were happy that a well-educated
person had become the chief minister. At the same time there were many who
raised pertinent questions on freebies announced in his election manifesto. People
were surprised how a qualified person could bestow freebies to gain cheap
popularity. His statements to appease minorities like Muslims, Sikhs also did
not go well with the major section of educated middle class majority. He spewed
venoms against major political and corporate personalities which took many
people aback. At the same time it also sent signals to a major chunk of voters
that there was an educated man who also dared to fight and that too vigorously.
People love to adore such leaders. They always look for ‘messiah’, who can
protect them, help them fulfil their dreams.
There is a major section of voters who don’t understand and
give a damn to the nitty gritty of economics or politics or foreign diplomacy
but want a little savings in their monthly budget. They are completely
convinced that politicians fight elections to fulfill their dreams and fill
their bank accounts nothing to do with the aspirations of voters. If any of the
leaders help them make a small savings and give them discount on their basic
necessities then that is more than enough for them. They are more than happy to
see slashed water and electricity bills and get cheap rice and wheat. Many
stalwarts were defeated due to rising prices of onions. In Tamilnadu, the
political parties which announce more freebies get into power.
Mr. Kejriwal being a good and laborious student studied
politics very closely over years. He keenly observed political dynamics from
Bihar to Tamilnadu, from secular to communal, from victim to accused. His
studies reflect in his attires, his maneuvers and his statements. The adoption
of untucked half sleeve shirt and loose trousers was to resemble a commoner. He
had no problem being called ‘muffler man’. I have not seen a well to do person
or a high rank bureaucrat wrapping muffler in Delhi even in harsh winter. But we
can see rickshaw pullers, laborers or auto drivers using mufflers in winter in
Delhi. He had no hesitation wrapping muffler because politics is not a fashion
world especially for beginners. You need to look, behave and talk like your
voters. He had a clear objective to succeed in politics and he had no qualms
even to sleep on road with muffler and quilt with the condition of shutterbugs
of cameras keep on flashing.This is called thirst, the fire in belly to achieve
something by hook or by crook. He did not only adopt a commoner attire, he
started talking like delhites too with the use of ‘haan ji’ after every line,
calling ‘America’ as ‘Amrica’ with a pinch of aggression towards the lethargic
and corrupt system. He made all efforts to remain in everyday headlines and
moot point of the news hour. He did not bother to challenge the mighty Ambani
and SPG guarded Robert Vadra. It was true that not all his tricks went well. He
had to apologies, rollback his own statements, make back room compromises like
a shrewd politician. Despite all these U turns, his magic had overawed his
supporters and they became his stout supporters online or offline. He made
himself the amalgam of Laloo’s rustic politics, Karunanidhi’s freebies,
Mulayam’s secular card and Mamta’s tantrums. He rightly judged the mood of
people against the large scale corruption and policy paralyzed govt. of Dr.
Manmohan Singh. His well-oiled network of lawyers, social workers, leuteny’s intellects,
media and social media at large helped him pursuing his political ambition
which is nothing less than the PM post. Within a short span of three years of
establishment of his political party, he became twice the chief minister of a
small but very important state of Delhi without being son of Gandhi’s or Yadav’s.
His party got four Lok Sabha MPs too.
It’s a spectacular political progress for an educated person
having no political background. He made people dreamt of a utopian system without
the dirt of corruption or coterie. He made people believe ‘lokpal’ as panacea which
turned out to be a placebo. He has not implemented ‘lokpal’ so far in Delhi
which was his ‘chariot’ to power in Delhi. A good section of people specially
educated middle class majority community got disenchanted from him due to his
maverick and blame game politics. They found him just another politician in hurry,
to get the highest powerful post in the country. But there are reasons behind
his all tantrums. He has to dribble the ball of politics between set and
regular players who are big enough to swallow any novice fish in the pond. His
playing skills were innovative, aggressive and appealing to the audience which
took big players by surprise. He made those players mend their ways and play
according to new rules which were somehow set by him. His audacity to target ‘big
bulls’ and show himself a victim was a well taught plan to survive and excel in
politics. In war or politics if you challenge the mightiest warrior, no matter
you win or lose, you become martyr. Anyone can now guess why his every second statement
mentions Mr. Modi after 2014 general elections and Mrs. Sheila Dikshit before
Delhi elections.
Whether you like him or like to hate him, you have to accept
that an educated person has finally learnt the dynamics of politics and that
too in a very political way.
He is on the prowl to nibble political bits.
