It has been pointed out by some that transforming personal popularity into political support is a difficult task requiring considerable expertise. One cannot do it overnight and it certainly does not happen automatically. Popular Tamil actor Vijay’s rally in Karur to promote his newly launched party, TVK, ended in a tragic stampede and the reason was the lack of cadre on the ground to manage the crowd. This shows that politics cannot be a one-man affair, particularly if it is based on little more than the leader’s charisma. Like any other profession, or organisation, there is need to advance step by step from, metaphorically speaking, the kindergarten stage to university degrees. The short-lived political careers of superstars Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan are examples of this.
It is also important, especially in the present day and age, for politicians to ensure they function strictly within the law in their personal lives so that shortcomings in this regard are not weaponised by opponents, particularly those in power. If one takes for example the trajectory of the Aam Aadmi Party, which began as an anti-corruption movement and transited to power, only to become in public perception the icon of bribe-taking, politicians can put little trust in Kejriwal like personal popularity.
This is why apprenticeship with an organisation like the RSS early in a political career proves helpful, as has been seen in the case of numerous politicians, a prominent example being Prime Minister Modi. The focus is on character building and social service. Parallel to this was the idealistic philosophy of the original Congress party that required adherence to a high personal and public moral code. Lal Bahadur Shastri was exemplar in this regard.
Unfortunately, as Indian politics evolved, standards deteriorated. With the role of money increasing, the need to have large party, and personal, coffers became a ‘necessity’. Even so, an aspiring leader is still required to come up the ranks to understand the nitty-gritty of public interaction, as well as government functioning. The failure of Rahul Gandhi, for example, to go through these preparatory stages is why he is having to struggle so much at present. Lateral entry is possible only in a well-structured and established organisation. Even then, basic political acumen is required.
In comparison, there are aspiring organisations in the present such as the Bhim Army, or Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, which are working their way up methodically and eventually should make a mark. But, under the rapidly transforming circumstances, they will have to strictly maintain an honest profile if they are to succeed.
