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Wednesday, May 03, 2006

The loss of Pramod Mahajan - Who does it hurt the most

Big events at any scale make me write with ease - such an event has just happened and I write this as a tribute to one of the country's tallest and most charismatic leaders.

Mahajan stood out and was able to capture so much attention for the man he was - his enterprising nature and people skills were the most talked about aspects of his crisp personality. He was glorified by the media as a CEO in Indian politics and as the "laptop politician." His unique perspectives, scientific approach and radical thinking is unparalleled.

Yes, it is true the country has lost a great leader and "an organized politician" but when the question of who will miss him the most comes up, I think it might be a sitter for all seasoned observers that it is the PARTY. The organization of Bharatiya Janata Party is the biggest loser for it needs him the most now.

Mahajan has been a troubleshooter of sorts and has shown the ability to micro-manage issues at the grass-root level and macro-manage policies at the national level. He is known most for forging the BJP-Sena alliance and his research methods/sampling techniques have given leaders some valuable insight into things. All this combined with the strategies he formulated have translated into myriad poll victories for the BJP.

Ofcourse, critics will not fail to mention that his 'India Shining' campaign bombed and more so my take is that he over estimated BJP's fortunes in the Hindi belt.

Right now, I had him as the perfect adhesive to bond the party together and unite the warring factions.

Remember, when the NDA thrashed the Congress it was because their side had a man of great national statutre as the prime ministerial candidate while the Congress projected no one. If there were a poll today, the NDA would have no such figure. Widespread criticism of Advani, his ouster from the party's top post coupled with Rajnath Singh's rise have complicated things around at 11 Ashoka Road.

There was a time when the talk of a Mahajan-Jaitley rivalry was brewing. But, more recently with Vajpayee calling him "Lakshman" (Oh God, how could I write something on Mahajan without mentioning this) and Rajnath giving him some key responsibilities, he was all set to play a crucial role in party affairs.

I maybe going over the line in saying this, but I probably thought he had it in him to lead the party and even the country. He could have been that single leader to take on the Congress. He would have been for all you know projected as a leader of the masses - young leader in a new India, a great crowd puller, amazing orator and a true visionary.

All said and done, as it stands today - his charisma will remain and his legacy will live on in the party and the country.

And, the party will have to turn to another soul for guidance as they try to mend their image and gain momentum amidst the masses.

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