Shams Ahsan

Marketing is dignified cheating. The three Ps of marketing – presentation, propagation and persuasion – hypnotize the clients to such an extent that they start relishing the bitterest of pills as sweet candies.



From products to personalities, marketing strategists have successfully sold what are otherwise choses ordinaires.



The telltale signs of marketing success are today writ large on the Machiavellian smirk of Narendra Modi in India. His rising popularity graph has dwarfed that of his own party. But then parties have never been bigger than personalities in India. Indira Gandhi was bigger than Congress, Vajpayee was bigger than the BJP and so was Advani in the 90s. Indian voters have always been charmed by personalities – MGR in Tamil Nadu, NTR in Andhra, EMS in Kerala.



Today, unfortunately, the grand old party of India – Congress – lacks such a leader. Congress today has scholars and intellectuals but no mass leaders. The body language of Congress leaders suggests that they have already accepted their defeat and are preparing for a long political hibernation.



But wait!



There is still time before parliamentary elections. Assembly polls in at least three states are not over yet. Congress can still get its act together, boost the morale of its workers and above all take a leaf or two from Modi's PR and marketing strategy.



Congress has to accept a few harsh realities. It's champion campaigner and the obvious prime ministerial choice – Rahul Gandhi – is not delivering what was expected from the scion of the Gandhi dynasty. His rallies have been lackluster; his speeches dull and dry. Rahul is not deft at peppering his harangues with false promises, boastful lies and empty rhetoric. He is too gentle, too soft and too honest to be a politician. He has a glorious political lineage, no doubt. However, political lineage can earn you respect, but not necessarily votes.



So it's time for Congress strategists to get into a huddle and think of Plan B. There are many options before them. They should declare a prime ministerial candidate. And it should not be Rahul Gandhi. The three-time Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, would be an apt choice. She is a good administrator and a popular leader. As a woman, she would naturally attract the votes of women, who constitute 49 percent of voters. Her anointment would also blunt BJP's now-monotonous attack against dynasty rule in Congress.



Congress already seems to have taken the lead in wooing women voters. The recent inauguration of India's first women-only bank in Mumbai by Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the party's pro-active stand against the stalking of a girl by the Gujarat government are the right moves in this direction.



Now the second strategy would be to rope in for electioneering a face which is admired and respected across the country. The Congress party seems to have taken a step in this direction by hurrying to announce the name of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for the highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna.



Sachin is already a member of the Upper House of parliament. All those who considered him a quiet and stoic person were left speechless when Sachin delivered his valedictory speech after his last Test match.



Sachin enjoys the status of a deity in India. He has never ever been embroiled in any kind of controversy off or on the pitch. It is difficult for anyone to raise a finger against him without being shouted down by millions of his fans.



Congress can pull the rug from under Modi's feet if it manages to engage Sachin as its star campaigner. But the million dollar question is: Will Sachin accept Congress’ offer? The party tried in vain to persuade him to campaign for it in the assembly election in Madhya Pradesh.



– The writer can be reached at [email protected]  Follow him @splitjourno and Saudi Gazette @saudi_gazette