If we carefully scan the national scene today,
the most disturbing aspect that comes across is the absence of a leader
of calibre with a national footprint, a national following. The old guard is now
on the verge of retirement, and the new guard has not yet stepped up into their
shoes; this is further exacerbated by the spate of scams and corruption that has
enveloped the country. Unfortunately, this is on all sides of the political
spectrum, with neither the ruling party nor the opposition escaping the blame of
corruption.
A mood of the nation poll, conducted 5 times
over the past 2 years by India Today, shows a steady increase in the preference
for Modi, and a steady decrease for Rahul. This is along expected lines: but the
real problem is that neither is someone with a clear mandate and image- unlike
Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, both of whom were, and are, highly
respected worldwide for their knowledge, with the additional factor of a neutral
and strong national footprint. This is tellingly absent in both the top
candidates that have emerged in public consciousness today.
Is India in for another period of gut-wrenching
change? It certainly seems like it; with the political class still unsure of how
to deal with the newly resurgent middle class, as well as the spate of exposures
that have buffeted them of late. The opposition does not seem to have its house
in order; while the ruling party cannot develop its team, and learn to think
beyond the Gandhi surname. It is indeed a shame that in a country of 1.2 billion
the Congress can only find a Gandhi. I have nothing against Rahul; for all I
know he may be an extremely capable young man. The point is that are we in a
fuedal kingdom, or a modern democracy? Why cant the Congress have some real
democracy at its core, and develop its second string leaders into people of
national stature? Why should the baton pass from Father to Daughter to Son To
Bahu To Son and so on and so forth? Conversely, the BJP just cant seem to get
its house in order: it has some highly capable, tried and tested people of
mettle (as does the Congress, to be fair: if only they could stop their
Gandhivaad!)
And so, the hunt for a leader continues. While
the Congress would have us believe that only 1 family in approximately 300
million families has the right to rule us (1.2 billion population divided by
average of 4 per family), the BJP is unsure. I for one just cant figure them
out. It seems they have yet to grow out of their old avatar and grow into a
modern progressive party. Funnily, and paradoxically, it is only one of 2 Indian
parties with the potential to achieve that and grow to national status; and most
certainly the strongest contender in the race for the rediscovered party. The
other candidate - The AAP - is too new to comment. Even the people of India seem
to agree with me on this; most seem to be reserving judgement.
Both AAP and BJP should realise that the
Congress has just presented them with a golden key: the appointment of Rahul
Gandhi is not going to sit well with any number of Indian citizens- especially
from the middle class. It has proven once and for all that there is no second
string leadership in the Congress to speak of, and no leadership development. I,
once an ardent congress supporter from the halcyon days of 1991 when the
Congress fired the imagination of the nation, have now finally accepted with
deep regret that it will never grow out of the Gandhis. I have nothing against
Rahul: he is young, modern, educated, controlled- but he is a Gandhi. I cannot
see why one family in 300 million families should rule us, we are after all a
democracy.
I just hope that either BJP - or hopfully AAP -
can take up the cudgel and present a strong alternative. The opportunity is now
present in the form of this elevation of Rahul: the opportunity to present
itself as a progressive, modern, forward thinking party with a true democratic
core. A party that has outgrown its mistakes, and is at last ready for national
leadership. The AAP might take time for this, but the BJP can certainly do it -
if it tones down its rhetoric and gets its house in order.
For The Hunt For A Leader is on: the leader to
take us forward in this new century.......... :D :D :)