(Captain GR Gopinath founded Air Deccan and is considered a pioneer in the low-cost airline sector. He recently joined Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party)The three manifestos released in the last few days by the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP bear the distinct imprint of the three leaders that their parties hope will be Prime Minister after votes are counted on May 16.
No party has ever won an election on a manifesto. Few people read those tedious documents which promise the voters the sun, the moon and the stars. The public intuitively makes an assessment about leaders and political parties and makes up its mind often far before the far-fetched manifestos are released.
Yet, the parties continue the ritual. This year we have a Rahul Gandhi manifesto, an Arvind Kejriwal manifesto and, rather belatedly, a Narendra Modi manifesto.
These three leaders come from vastly different backgrounds; different ideas moulded them and different experiences shaped them.
Born into a very poor family, Narendra Modi grew up on a staple of the RSS ideology. He rose through the ranks of the BJP and now leads the party with an avowedly right-wing ideology.
But it is noteworthy that someone who hails from a backward caste is now the undisputed leader of a party that was always accused of being casteist and controlled by Brahmins.
Modi has united and galvanised the party behind him and rides like a colossus. He would bring formidable experience to the top job as a three-time chief minister. He has been tempered in the fire of politics and forged into steel on the anvil of his state overcoming insurmountable odds.
On his whirlwind election tours, the emphasis is on growth and development. Despite his pro-Hindutva image, he has proclaimed that for every Indian "development" should be the only mantra and the Indian Constitution the only scripture. He has said that we need less government and more governance. He comes across as a decisive leader who is clean.
Modi inspires confidence in the masses - though there is anxiety in a section of the minority community, which he has to overcome - and he shows a clear sense of purpose and clarity of mind on his vision for a strong India. People don't see the BJP manifesto. They see Modi and what he stands for.
The second is a political upstart who is admired by the youth and middle-class. Arvind Kejriwal is the quintessential boy from an ordinary family who joined a premiere engineering college, took up a cushy job in the private sector and then joined the coveted revenue services, the dream of most youth of the country generally apathetic to everything except their own career.
Then, he gave it all up to become a civic rights activist and then joined the Anna Hazare movement. With uncommon courage he broke ranks with Anna, his mentor, and launched a political party.
Kejriwal and his new party have seized the nation's attention on issues of corruption and governance. Kejriwal rode to power in Delhi like a meteor and has become a serious contender as a national party competing with the BJP and relegating the Congress to the background. Though no one gives his party a chance, the main parties can ignore him only at their peril. His activist role has formed his character and he is ridiculed for his inability to grow out of that role even when invested with authority to govern and it has earned him the moniker of a perennial rebel.
His brief experience in governance of less than two months and his failure to build a consensus and perceived abdication of responsibility continues to be his big challenge.
Whatever his manifesto may proclaim, people perceive Arvind Kejriwal only as a crusader against corruption. That is his strength and also his limitation. Sadly, the AAP has of late somehow lost some sheen and in the eyes of the public may not be of consequence in these elections.
And then there is Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. The party has been adept at scripting great manifestos since the Nehruvian era. This year's manifesto has ''Rahul '' written all over it. It promises everything to every one.
Rahul has led a sheltered life. And a tragic one too, losing his father in a ghastly assassination. But he has not been through the rough and tumble of life. And it shows in his dealings. He seems out of depth for a national role. He is seen as tentative and indecisive. He does not come across as purposeful and fails to inspire confidence to lead the country. He also bears the cross for the mess the UPA has created and is seen to have power with no accountability.
The people are not seeing the Congress manifesto. They are seeing Rahul, a dilettante who is forever the reluctant prince.
Whatever the content of their manifesto, the tone of the elections have been set by these three leaders. Modi and Kejriwal have one thing in common. They represent the new India - a India of possibilities.
All said and done, three cheers to Indian democracy, the greatest show on earth.
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