It is astonishing to watch how the politicians in Maharashtra and their parties have taken a sudden liking for “image-building” in the past few days and weeks. Whatever the political situation on ground, whatever the political reality, whatever the political trend, most of the leaders seem to think that they can tide over the situation, if it is against them, by simply creating certain public perception through the media, and then win the upcoming elections. The leaders are seen focusing so much on image creation and building media perception about themselves that now many feel like asking questions about whether just this exercise will be enough for them to survive in the tough political environment that currently prevails in the state, after two regional parties got split and fragmentation happened to a large extent.
In the past few days the biggest sensation in Maharashtra’s politics has been the endless series of allegations levelled by former state home minister Anil Deshmukh against the current Home Minister of the state ,Devendra Fadnavis. These allegations were so serious that it created waves even in New Delhi and in national media. But has the story moved beyond the news media? Has either side taken this matter to the courts? Has any defamation been filed yet? The answer to all the questions is “no” which means all this has happened with the target in mind of creating public perception ahead of the big Assembly polls. Many are asking questions about the timing of the allegations levelled by Anil Deshmukh. If the series of incidents happened about three years ago, why are the allegations coming into the media now? It is obvious that all this is happening because the Assembly elections are coming up in October. Ahead of the polls, perception creation is at its peak. Clearly the allegations from both sides during this pre-election season is more of an image and perception exercise than actually being any legal battle. Leaders are paying a lot of attention to public perception.
In the first week of July there were media reports about how NCP leader Ajit Pawar and his party hired an image promotion and election management company which would advise the NCP on various aspects of election campaign and promotion. The company gave many new ideas including ideas about how Ajit Pawar should dress and what activities he should undertake in front of media cameras. Ajit Pawar was advised to wear a pink jacket which became a hotly debated issue on social media. Ajit Pawar who has always been known for his rustic rural background and his base in such rural settings had never done this kind of image promotion before. Now there is talk in the media about whether this kind of an effort will really help him politically.
On Monday Maharashtra’s Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and senior Congressman Vijay Wadettiwar came out with a post on social media showing how the state government approved a fund of Rs 270 crore from the government treasury for the promotion and advertisements of government schemes. The funds are supposed to be used for various advertisements of the state government in conventional media, newspapers, television channels and social media. Wadettiwar alleged that this was misuse of taxpayers money for promotion of certain leaders and political parties ahead of the election season. Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut claimed the Mahayuti leaders are going to use public funds now for advertisement which will result in their political promotion. “You will see large hoardings, posters and billboards all over the urban and rural landscape, even on the sides of the State Transport buses which will promote the politicians who are in power. Should public funds be spent like this for political promotion?” asked Raut.
The big question thrown up because of all this is whether politicians are focusing too much just on image-building or image-tarnishing, which is happening through media and social media, instead of taking the conventional route ahead of elections of reaching out to the masses with public rallies, meetings with activists and other political activity. Also another question being raised is whether this kind of promotion in media and social media will suffice in an environment which has become very unpredictable and hostile because of six parties now contesting the Assembly polls instead of the two big political formations that always contested the elections against each other in Maharashtra.
Rohit Chandavarkar is a senior journalist who has worked for 31 years with various leading newspaper brands and television channels in Mumbai and Pune
