Submitted by: Submitted by mendokusei
Views: 12
Words: 781
Pages: 4
Category: People
Date Submitted: 01/17/2016 10:46 PM
They are the rock stars of Indian politics today. No other political leaders in India have created the kind of impact in recent times that Narender Modi and Arvind Kejriwal have. The nation has been forced to sit up and take notice of what they say, do or don’t do.
They have other commonalities. Both rose to positions of eminence without any dynasty to give them a leg up. Both are known for their personal incorruptibility. Both are indefatigable campaigners, combative and good communicators, though each in his own way.
The last quality is where their stories begin to diverge. Modi talks down to people from a high rostrum. He will tweet or broadcast on the air – all from a distance. His speeches and mannerism have become more and more imperious. He seems to totally love the panoply of power. One cannot imagine him ever car-pooling with someone to his office. He dresses impeccably and must have been delighted when he first wore his monogrammed pin-striped suit. Parting with it would have broken his heart.
Kejriwal, on the other hand, remains down to earth. He mingles with the people in a manner the Prime Minister never does. His simple bush-shirt is a sharp contrast to Modi’s well tailored kurta-pajama ensembles. He abhors VIP culture. The senior leader would never wrap a muffler around his head in a manner the Delhi Chief Minister does.
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Both are authoritarian, in a sense, and gutsy. They can make bold moves – the latest instances of which are Modi’s stopover in Lahore and Kejriwal’s odd-even car campaign in Delhi. But the younger leader has had a more noticeable success rate. Whatever its impact on the city’s pollution, he did get Delhi-ites to fall in line and follow the rule. Modi’s Swach-Bharat has been confined to his speeches, photo-ops (some of them fake) and media advertisements.
The way they work reflects their respective personalities and impacts their policies. Arvind Kejriwal knows how...