Akhileshji never wanted vengeful politics: Abhishek
14 May 2012 6:43 AM IST
Intellect and youth makes this this ex-Indian Institute of Management (IIM) professor-turned-politician stand out from the usual political crowd. A son of a former Indian Administrative Service officer from Uttar Pradesh, Abhishek Mishra is Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's key aide and MLA from Lucknow North. He is a core member of Yadav's team that has helped redefine the the Uttar Pradesh politics. Inducted last year in December in the Samajwadi Party, he now holds a key position in the organisation and has become Yadav's Man Friday. Excerpts of interview:
Why politics for an academic?
I took a decision where there was a constant talk about politics hitting a new nadir and that it was primarily dominated by criminal elements. The character of Indian politics and the politicians as a group was at its lowest ebb. That’s when I asked myself that if all good and educated people chose other jobs, who will run politics?
At the faculty lounge of IIM, Ahmedabad, we used to have this discussion almost everyday. But, we had such conversations and then would get up and go to our classes, teach and then ultimately forget about it. I felt that somebody has to pay the price for what is to be done right. If we want clean, credible and educated politicians in this country then someone has to take the lead. It is a huge risk, and I understand that.
Why did you choose the Samajwadi Party?
Which other party could I have joined? One thing that I have understood very clearly from my teaching and consulting experience is that the leadership is the most important issue, be it in an organisation, a state, an empire, a business house or even a family. In Uttar Pradesh, there are only two important parties which have this kind of leadership: the Samajwadi party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). One was out of question for me, because there is only a certain level of self-esteem that one can sacrifice, and with the BSP you have to sacrifice just too much of it. I was not joining politics to make money after all. (Thankfully, I have a strong family background.)
Then the only party left for me in Uttar Pradesh was the Samajwadi Party, as it has a very credible leadership. We have a very experienced leader in the form of Netaji [Mulayam Singh Yadav], who has seen [our] democracy from its birth till today. Then, we have a young and dynamic leader in the form of Akhileshji. This combination was not present in any other party.
The Congress does not have leadership in Uttar Pradesh. As for Rahul Gandhi, he would not have come and become the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. He would fly in to conduct a meeting and then fly out. When it comes to the BJP, I will borrow what Varun Gandhi said: 'The BJP probably has 55 chief ministerial candidates.' That speaks for itself.
How does your party move forward from here?
The first thing we want to concentrate on is the party manifesto. That is our agenda and the commitment we have made to ourselves and to the people in the state. We want to be sure that we deliver whatever we have promised to the people of Uttar Pradesh.
As a key strategist of Akhilesh Yadav, what was your plan to revamp the image of the party?
It was all done under the leadership of Netaji and the Central Parliamentary Board of the party, while Akhileshji was made responsible for executing plans. After he was made the head of the election campaign, it was very clear that he would lead the efforts of the Samajwadi Party. Everything related to the campaign was done under his leadership. He was very clear that we wanted to project an image which was positive, progressive, not vengeful, which talked about development and there was no need to criticise anybody.
You have been a key member of Team Akhilesh. What is your perception of the chief minister?
It has been a wonderful experience working with Akhileshji. I am in politics because of him. Had he not been there I would have still been sitting at IIM, Ahmedabad. We were introduced at a social gathering. So, I have known him for a long time now. Initially we talked more about issues related to economics, rather than politics.
Akhileshji is a visionary leader. He told me about a year ago, 'Abhishek, I have a feeling that now people are fed up of voting on the lines of caste, religion and creed, all the negative aspects of Uttar Pradesh politics. People now want to vote for leaders who they believe are educated, honest, capable and worthy of delivering.' I feel that he is a lovely guy, someone who is very approachable, and affable and has a cool temper. Mainly, he is very positive. One thing that differentiates him from other politicians is that his intent is clear and he is rooted. The problem that many people have is that they become too big for their boots. He feels the pain of the common man in his heart, and that’s what makes him the gentleman that he is. It is his gentleness that attracted me to that form of politics: that you could be gentle and still be in politics.
What are the key factors that drove the Samajwadi Party to a spectacular win in Uttar Pradesh?
There are always a couple of key factors and then there are currents and undercurrents. It is very difficult to say what is more important, because the undercurrents form the currents as well. Firstly, there was anger that people had against the high level of corruption in the previous government. Secondly, there was a strong reaction against the inaccessibility of leaders, officers and the chief minister of the previous government. When we started work, we thought that a clear strategy would be to become a viable alternative to the BSP. If the Samajwadi Party became a viable alternative to the BSP in the eye of voters, then we knew we had achieved our goal. When Akhileshji started his kranti rath, he inspired confidence in people with the way he was approachable, the way he talked, the words he used and the smile he had on his face. This all reflected a very positive, beaming persona of Akhileshji.
Was it worth leaving a plum job at the IIM?
If you believe in something in your heart and mind then you should be prepared to take risks. It could have gone dramatically wrong. The consequences today could have been very different. Not everyone is destined to reach the goal. Many people have to lay the foundation for the road and the journey on which you walk some distance and others then complete the journey. I felt that even if I did not reach that destination, at least I would be able to inspire some people to join politics. Also, we felt that politicians as a group need to come out of the infamy that they live in.
When I joined the Samajwadi Party and contested from Lucknow, there was no indication that if you contested its ticket, you would definitely win, as traditionally it is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold. The Samajwadi Party had never won a single seat in urban Lucknow. This was a seat on which the BJP and the Congress fielded strong leaders. I decided to take a plunge, as decisions do not become right or wrong based on the outcome of an election.
How do you plan to bring about change in Uttar Pradesh?
The concept of bringing about change starts with you as an individual. If you start changing, you can change the other guy as well. If I stop demanding money for whatever I am doing today, then I can expect my officers, subordinates and the entire department not to do so. This happens because I am setting an example. The chief minister is leading the way on that account.
The state cabinet is very clear that they do not want to repeat the mistakes of the previous government, because we have seen what the fate of a majority government can be if you do not deliver what you promise and act responsibly. In that situation, you can go from 206 MLAs to 79. They could attain this number because there is a certain vote bank voted for them. Had it been any other party, it could have come down to 30 or 40. Even this vote bank is significantly eroded. If you compare the voting patterns of the last two times, you will realise the BSP's core vote bank has now deserted it. For example, even a worker on the lowest level, like someone sweeping on the street, was also asked to pay for their son's job. People were mostly dissatisfied and disillusioned with the government.
What are your future plans?
Now, Lucknow North owns me, and I have also been given responsibility in the council of ministers and attached to the chief minister. I am a minister of state for protocol as well. My biggest agenda as of now is the development and nurturing of Lucknow North as an area.
Why politics for an academic?
I took a decision where there was a constant talk about politics hitting a new nadir and that it was primarily dominated by criminal elements. The character of Indian politics and the politicians as a group was at its lowest ebb. That’s when I asked myself that if all good and educated people chose other jobs, who will run politics?
At the faculty lounge of IIM, Ahmedabad, we used to have this discussion almost everyday. But, we had such conversations and then would get up and go to our classes, teach and then ultimately forget about it. I felt that somebody has to pay the price for what is to be done right. If we want clean, credible and educated politicians in this country then someone has to take the lead. It is a huge risk, and I understand that.
Why did you choose the Samajwadi Party?
Which other party could I have joined? One thing that I have understood very clearly from my teaching and consulting experience is that the leadership is the most important issue, be it in an organisation, a state, an empire, a business house or even a family. In Uttar Pradesh, there are only two important parties which have this kind of leadership: the Samajwadi party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). One was out of question for me, because there is only a certain level of self-esteem that one can sacrifice, and with the BSP you have to sacrifice just too much of it. I was not joining politics to make money after all. (Thankfully, I have a strong family background.)
Then the only party left for me in Uttar Pradesh was the Samajwadi Party, as it has a very credible leadership. We have a very experienced leader in the form of Netaji [Mulayam Singh Yadav], who has seen [our] democracy from its birth till today. Then, we have a young and dynamic leader in the form of Akhileshji. This combination was not present in any other party.
The Congress does not have leadership in Uttar Pradesh. As for Rahul Gandhi, he would not have come and become the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. He would fly in to conduct a meeting and then fly out. When it comes to the BJP, I will borrow what Varun Gandhi said: 'The BJP probably has 55 chief ministerial candidates.' That speaks for itself.
How does your party move forward from here?
The first thing we want to concentrate on is the party manifesto. That is our agenda and the commitment we have made to ourselves and to the people in the state. We want to be sure that we deliver whatever we have promised to the people of Uttar Pradesh.
As a key strategist of Akhilesh Yadav, what was your plan to revamp the image of the party?
It was all done under the leadership of Netaji and the Central Parliamentary Board of the party, while Akhileshji was made responsible for executing plans. After he was made the head of the election campaign, it was very clear that he would lead the efforts of the Samajwadi Party. Everything related to the campaign was done under his leadership. He was very clear that we wanted to project an image which was positive, progressive, not vengeful, which talked about development and there was no need to criticise anybody.
You have been a key member of Team Akhilesh. What is your perception of the chief minister?
It has been a wonderful experience working with Akhileshji. I am in politics because of him. Had he not been there I would have still been sitting at IIM, Ahmedabad. We were introduced at a social gathering. So, I have known him for a long time now. Initially we talked more about issues related to economics, rather than politics.
Akhileshji is a visionary leader. He told me about a year ago, 'Abhishek, I have a feeling that now people are fed up of voting on the lines of caste, religion and creed, all the negative aspects of Uttar Pradesh politics. People now want to vote for leaders who they believe are educated, honest, capable and worthy of delivering.' I feel that he is a lovely guy, someone who is very approachable, and affable and has a cool temper. Mainly, he is very positive. One thing that differentiates him from other politicians is that his intent is clear and he is rooted. The problem that many people have is that they become too big for their boots. He feels the pain of the common man in his heart, and that’s what makes him the gentleman that he is. It is his gentleness that attracted me to that form of politics: that you could be gentle and still be in politics.
What are the key factors that drove the Samajwadi Party to a spectacular win in Uttar Pradesh?
There are always a couple of key factors and then there are currents and undercurrents. It is very difficult to say what is more important, because the undercurrents form the currents as well. Firstly, there was anger that people had against the high level of corruption in the previous government. Secondly, there was a strong reaction against the inaccessibility of leaders, officers and the chief minister of the previous government. When we started work, we thought that a clear strategy would be to become a viable alternative to the BSP. If the Samajwadi Party became a viable alternative to the BSP in the eye of voters, then we knew we had achieved our goal. When Akhileshji started his kranti rath, he inspired confidence in people with the way he was approachable, the way he talked, the words he used and the smile he had on his face. This all reflected a very positive, beaming persona of Akhileshji.
Was it worth leaving a plum job at the IIM?
If you believe in something in your heart and mind then you should be prepared to take risks. It could have gone dramatically wrong. The consequences today could have been very different. Not everyone is destined to reach the goal. Many people have to lay the foundation for the road and the journey on which you walk some distance and others then complete the journey. I felt that even if I did not reach that destination, at least I would be able to inspire some people to join politics. Also, we felt that politicians as a group need to come out of the infamy that they live in.
When I joined the Samajwadi Party and contested from Lucknow, there was no indication that if you contested its ticket, you would definitely win, as traditionally it is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold. The Samajwadi Party had never won a single seat in urban Lucknow. This was a seat on which the BJP and the Congress fielded strong leaders. I decided to take a plunge, as decisions do not become right or wrong based on the outcome of an election.
How do you plan to bring about change in Uttar Pradesh?
The concept of bringing about change starts with you as an individual. If you start changing, you can change the other guy as well. If I stop demanding money for whatever I am doing today, then I can expect my officers, subordinates and the entire department not to do so. This happens because I am setting an example. The chief minister is leading the way on that account.
The state cabinet is very clear that they do not want to repeat the mistakes of the previous government, because we have seen what the fate of a majority government can be if you do not deliver what you promise and act responsibly. In that situation, you can go from 206 MLAs to 79. They could attain this number because there is a certain vote bank voted for them. Had it been any other party, it could have come down to 30 or 40. Even this vote bank is significantly eroded. If you compare the voting patterns of the last two times, you will realise the BSP's core vote bank has now deserted it. For example, even a worker on the lowest level, like someone sweeping on the street, was also asked to pay for their son's job. People were mostly dissatisfied and disillusioned with the government.
What are your future plans?
Now, Lucknow North owns me, and I have also been given responsibility in the council of ministers and attached to the chief minister. I am a minister of state for protocol as well. My biggest agenda as of now is the development and nurturing of Lucknow North as an area.
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