Crazy about a Man-mohan. Are we?

This is a guest post and is written by the one who has invariably amazed me by the way she writes and the grip she holds. Her sharp opinions dwell in her opinionated mind; crisp and perfectly chiseled. I wish I could ridicule like her, but alas! The writer at Freebird, Alka Gurha.

That sex-glamour combo is an effective tool for advertising is known. How then can the political realm remain untouched by it?
In several countries charismatic candidates, mostly male have created followers who display love and adulation for the candidate. Amber Ettinger’s ‘Obama girl’ campaign in 2008 elections was a perfect example. Amber an American actress rose to fame when she acted in a video, ‘I got a crush on Obama’ in which she professed her admiration for the then US Senator, now President.

Visibly, Putin is happy; very happy I say.

On similar lines young women declaring their love for Putin are forming a cult in Russia. Recently, Putin launched his forth-coming Presidential campaign with a video contest where young smart and beautiful girls were asked to tear something off for Putin. So what did young and beautiful girls rip off? Clothes of course! All for their leader, Vladimir Putin. “I am just crazy about a man who changed our country,” said one pretty girl.
Adulation is a natural outcome of decisive, charismatic leadership. And decisive leadership comes from decisive actions. A friend posed a legitimate question, “Will beautiful girls shed clothes for Indian politicians?”

Contest is open for all. Rip in your entries today. Hurry!

In India, time is not right for politicians to market their cause via the sex-glamour route. It has nothing to do with us being a conservative nation and Indian values and blah-blah and boo-boo. For starters, charisma and a certain dose of machismo are entirely missing from our politicians. When Obama or Putin display their toned physiques, tabloids go berserk. Physical fitness is an alien subject in Indian polity. Even the thought of our leaders going topless can make one squirm. Mulayam topless…eeeks! Go ahead and imagine others at your own risk. Given the resentment against the political establishment, forget girls, men and women might rip off politicians’ clothes rather than their own.


Also, for girls to shed clothes one has to arouse passions. Dirty minds, I am talking about nationalistic passions here. Just the way Dhoni and his men did on the eve of the World cup. The patriotism reached such a crescendo that a certain model was ready to bare all for the World Cup winners. Of course, it’s debatable whether the proposed act of generosity was for self promotion or passions; patriotic or otherwise.
Coming back to Putin, his campaign took off with a bang. Young pretty women made a lingerie calendar with personal messages for their beloved Putin and sang songs, “I want a man like Putin”. It is tough to imagine Indian girls doing that for Manmohan or Advani?

| Read more: Campaign to support Vladimir Putin has women ripping off their clothes

Twenty years ago on July 24, 1991 Manmohan Singh presented his first budget and India began its long march to prosperity. His speech that day went down in the annals of history as one that changed India. He presented finances of a country that was almost bankrupt. Since 1991 the nations GDP quadrupled and we were poised to take on the world. Notwithstanding the debate that the historical budget was not Dr Singh’s idea but he was simply lucky enough to present it and carve a niche for himself as a modernizer. Carve a niche he did.


Even though Dr Singh was bereft of any machismo, possibly women would have ripped clothes for him and his bold policies in early 2000. After all, he was the Womanizer Modernizer.


But look where we are now? Stuck deep in the quagmire of corruption courtesy same Dr Singh’s inactions and the granite detachment of his political boss Sonia Gandhi.


The Modernizer and the Madonna duo have caused crores worth of loss to the exchequer. Together they are possibly heading the most corrupt government since independence. Who will shed clothes for them?


Tears maybe!