:: Shobhaa De

Will Brand Rahul add up to Brand India?

Shobhaa’s Take

May.23 : The startling election results (even Singh is King’s characteristically expressionless face registered shock and awe) certainly make one believe that India has fallen in love with the Dimpled Darling and all that he stands for (don’t embarrass me by asking for specifics — I am as clueless as his countless besotted admirers).

The euphoria continues unabated seven days after the verdict, as fawning Congressmen go on and on about Rahulji, and how it has been a vote for growth and development. Rahulji, meanwhile, is sticking to his self-effacing, low-profile "I’m just a regular bloke doing my job" demeanour, leaving Mummyji to beam broadly and project a voter-friendly vibe on camera.

The biggest problem with this election, and the mandate given to the Congress Party, is that Brand Rahul has usurped Brand India. Not his fault at all — but we have always been a nation in search of idols to worship. Our intrinsic sycophantic nature demands that we find such persons and immediately assume our favourite stance — lying prostrate in the presence of demi-gods. We enjoy lying supine at our icons’ feet. Sashtang namaskar, anyone? Genuflecting comes easier than standing tall, head held high. This became vividly evident post-victory, when thousands of Congress party loyalists showed up with banners and fireworks to anoint the prince. And wonder of wonders, even an asli erstwhile maharaja (Jyotiraditya Scindia) was heard singing hosannas to Rahulji (an overnight promotion from plain Rahul Gandhi to Rahulji — colleague to boss?).

This is just the way we are. So be it. Perhaps it is a peculiarly Asian trait to deify leaders in an absurdly exaggerated manner. But to witness the shameless, full-on chamchagiri on display was just too cringe-making, to put it mildly.

What next? We have our magic mantra in place ("Youth rocks, okay?"), and we also have the oldie-goldies holding the fort and sticking to the status quo. Portfolios are being judiciously distributed, keeping all the delicate equations in mind. While writing this, the wheeling and dealing is still on, and the Manmohan Singh-Sonia Gandhi combo is playing hardball with the likes of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M. Karunanidhi and gang.

From the looks of it, Dr Singh has not fallen hook, line and sinker for a babalog Cabinet, and there are still enough really, really senior citizens around to warrant the deployment of a few rocking chairs in Parliament.

If "young India" was hoping for dishy designer politicians dominating parliamentary proceedings, there may be a mild disappointment in store. Hot-blooded jawaani deewani is still to replace the silver-haired sobriety of old warhorses. For those who were hell bent on sending veteran politicians off to the nearest Nana-Nani Park, that’s not about to happen in a hurry either. Given the heavy-duty haggling taking place in Delhi, it will be interesting to monitor how the total adds up finally, once the laddoos — sorry, portfolios — have been distributed.

For those of you old enough to recall the lyrics of Theme for a Dream (Cliff Richards), this is the song to sing right now. A "dream team" is possible, now more than ever, provided Dr Singh and Mrs Gandhi stay determined and tough. At the end of the day, it is worth considering what this win implies. It has been a vote against several touchy issues (fundamentalism, regionalism, casteism...) that were causing concern across India. It is seen as a vote for the "basics" that every Indian is entitled to — roti, kapda aur makaan.

Frankly, there are no other ideological issues involved this time. No philosophical dialogues, no intellectual debate. People want a better quality of life than the abject wretchedness that has been their fate thus far. They want a shot at improving their future through education, jobs and opportunities. It’s obvious the vote has been vehemently against narrow-minded regional politics that is dangerous and far from inclusive. In such a scenario, the new leadership is obliged to deliver on promises made during the campaign.

Rahulji obviously got a sanitised taste of "real India" when he was air-dropped into villages and chose to spend the night huddled on a charpoy, in the humble abodes of the poorest of the poor. A crash course in garibi, as it were, which galvanised him into "hataaoing" it.

To be fair to him, perhaps this really was the turning point. Maybe his discovery of India began with sharing a roti with a disenfranchised villager living in the back of beyond in Orissa. It can happen… Rahul sounds sufficiently sincere when he constantly harps on growth and development. His timing has been impeccable so far, and his brand positioning cannot be improved upon. He has single-handedly steered a tired, old party to victory and injected fresh blood into the team. This blood transfusion was long overdue, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has discovered, much to its horror.

For all of BJP prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani’s many virtues, the one thing he could not reverse is age. Youth can be cruel, unforgiving and impatient when it comes to passing judgments. Short-term memory loss is another affliction that strikes people under-30. There is little introspection and even less tolerance…. forget about a feel for history. Clearly, "youth India" preferred to throw in its lot with Rahul & Friends. One can almost hear those over-enthused pub-goers’ chorus, "Yo! Man! Rahul rocks!" while bumping clenched fists, rapper-style. That’s New India — the one the others failed to recognise. They are done with the gheesa peeta, puraana ishtyle of manipulating voters and exploiting the politics of hate.

On one level, the much-awaited change of guard is welcome. On another, we seem in too much hurry to hand over the country to absolute greenhorns who may lack the required maturity to deal with global issues… or even national ones, for that matter.

Well, for better or worse, we have opted for a Fair & Lovely young leader. All that is required to complete the picture now is a Balika Badhu. The most important question still remains unanswered: Will Brand Rahul add up to Brand India? Do we have a choice but to wait and watch?

— Readers can send feedback to www.shobhaade.blogspot.com