The new CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella said in an interview ‘Our industry does not respect traditions, it only respects innovation’. Its true and same aspect applies everywhere, whether it is Corporates, Production Houses, Service Sectors or even Political Parties too. I hope these new innovative models of reaching to public will be successful for BJP. I hopeful that we shall see an ordinary chaiwala occupying the most powerful position of this democratic country. Is it Déjà Vu, another Abraham Lincoln in the making?
There was one statement by Rahul Gandhi that “every tea-seller, every labourer should be respected, but he who makes a fool of people should not be respected.” This was in reaction to the promotion of Modi as a tea seller. Even senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar went ahead and said, Narendra Modi cannot become the prime minister but can sell tea. We all know Mani Shankar Aiyar is delegate of patrician and dynastic powers who have ruled India for more than sixty years. They never dreamt that calling Modi a tea seller can cost them huge. To get respect from others is to give respect to others.
Mani Shankar Aiyar is a distinguished public personality who enjoyed his childhood life in good comforts unlike Modi a ‘common man’ but not an aristocrat. As an ordinary man, Modi has struggled hard to become a public leader. On the other hand, Aiyar was fortunate enough to get all the coveted care and comforts including political power and position. Aiyar, being a sharp scholar retains the right to criticize Modi but in a decent manner. Modi may not be a good public leader, but certainly better than many others. To become a learned scholar is good, but to become too learned some time backfires.
Narendra Modi, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, launched his ‘chai pe charcha’ or ‘discussion over tea’ from tea stalls in Ahmedabad. Modi used “a unique combination of satellite, DTH, internet and mobile,” for his ‘chai pe charcha,’ a mega election drive which is part of his campaign for general elections due by May. The programme relayed at 1,000 tea stalls in 300 cities across the country. Of the 1,000 locations, he will directly interact with people at 300 locations; here people can share their views, ask questions and make suggestions on the BJP’s election campaign through video-conference. The organisers have opened their website indiancag.org/chaipecharcha for questions that people want to ask the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate at tea on Wednesday. The subject for ‘chai pe charcha’ was about good governance. Sixty one locations have been chosen all over Gujarat, 36 in Bihar, 32 in Kerala and 46 in Delhi among other states. Even Mumbai’s pila house and Kamathi pura has “Chai Pe Charcha”. This area is big vote bank and most of them are illegal migrants and confused population, they all possess voter’s cards but not dedicated to one particular party. They vote to those ministers who assures them safety and shelter. Some worth living conditions are their demands. By choosing such areas for discussion, BJP can win its battle for 2014. Selling tea is not a shame. We believe in the dignity of labour. However, NaMo is not just a Chaiwala. NaMo is marketing TEA laced with passion to get BJP in power.
A taunt by Congress “Chai Wala” was gracefully accepted by Modi himself with pride, and the term Chaiwala became big time election gimmick too, that’s brain of a good campaigner. He is one of the best administrative talents and no one can be compared with him. His idea will develop and improve our nation. There is no pride or disgrace about being chaiwala. Moreover, chaiwala is also not about poor or rich back ground. There are big business house like Starbucks, Barista, Cafe Coffee Day and so on which sells coffee and making millions through its business. Is it offensive to call them “coffeewala” in Hindi? Is there any offense in calling Tiffin provider as Tiffinwala when the whole India is proud about the way Tiffinwala do their business? Making Chai, Coffee or distributing Tiffins are just businesses. Those who do it with the business sense and the strength to expand make millions and those who are contended with doing it small are just making in thousands. I don’t see any offense or pride in it. Congress failed to understand this and BJP twisted game in its party favour.
BJP managers say it is an out-of-the-box initiative, which bucks traditional campaigning methods by facilitating discussion simultaneously in multiple locations. The BJP will hold between 12 and 15 such sessions, with other top leaders also engaging with the public over tea. The programme, which highlights that Modi sold tea on trains as a young boy, is positioned as a gigantic snub to political rivals. The power of Indian democracy will be proved when a former tea vendor defeats a dynasty’s envoy. Let see this battle of 2014.
