Maha message for parties: Go get your own Modi
Maha message for parties: Go get your own Modi
A important issue all political parties must introspect about. In a media-fed, content bombarded, always-online world, does every party need a Modi?
In other words, does every party need a central figure who is visible, inspiring and trustworthy? In today’s age, does one personality -rather than ideology, vision documents and manifestos -become the face that defines what’s right or wrong with the party?
The answer is yes. The media, both mainstream and social, is highly partial to personalities rather than ideas. Ideally, you need to have both. But if you don’t have a personality that connects with today’s generation, you just can’t win. And the absence of such personalities is the biggest vacuum in almost all parties apart from BJP. Even in the BJP, it is mainly Modi, as everyone else’s volume button gets slowly pulled down to mute. There is almost no one in any political party today who can inspire trust and build visibility to even a fraction of the level of Modi. Of course, being in power gives him a chance to be more visible than ever before, making the opposition’s job even harder.
And yet, the opposition parties refuse to wake up. They think a single personality at the top doesn’t matter, and almost anyone can be positioned as trustworthy and inspirational with the right slogan and marketing campaign.
What is a party to do? As Modi sweeps the floor, visits global leaders and addresses NRIs at aspirational venues, he turns himself into a bigger star while merely doing his job. By linking the party to his personal brand he amasses more power, while making almost everyone else in the BJP dispensable. This is one of the smartest politicians India has ever seen and third, fourth, fifth-generation heirs of dynast parties have no clue what to do about it.
So how does one build trust and become an inspiring figure? Here is how. One, by doing real work and letting others know about it. In other words, do something positive and demonstrable, and market the hell out of it. There are no slogans, shortcuts and shrewd moves to get out of this. If you want real power, you have to do real work. And yes, you have to do real marketing around the personality, with the full party backing you. Two, you have to care for India and every word, every action of yours has to reflect that. Hating the opponent is not what will make you win, loving India more might. Three, be creative. Politics is not a profession typically associated with creativity. But in this world of constant content-hunger, you must provide new things to talk about, new visuals to see and lots of new ideas to share. Else, you get dated, and almost don’t exist.
Four, don’t be afraid to back one, and only one, leader who represents all of the above ideas and leads the party. His or her origins don’t matter. His ability to inspire and build trust does. Going forward, Indian politics won’t be about losing to or defeating Modi. It will be about having your own Modi.
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