Mohammed Azharuddin – The name needs no introduction. A couple of days back he made his intentions very clear. He wants to enter politics and approached Congress high command for a party ticket. Congress seems to be happy to offer him a party ticket to contest from Hyderabad.
Strategically speaking, this makes sense for Congress as it would be able to divert lot of the Hyderabadi Muslim vote from the traditional MIM votebank. Although Azhar ‘s reputation is tainted with the match fixing scandal that broke out in the early part of the decade, Congress seems to be least worried about that aspect.
So much for Sonia & Rahul Gandhi’s call not to provide ticket to individuals with bad reputation !
Agreed Azhar has not been convicted in the match fixing scandal and that a case is pending against the BCCI for its unilateral ban on him, but the fact is if Congress keeps promoting bad boys on one hand while singing Mahatma tunes on the other, it will only add to their growing reputation of showcasing double standard at various levels.
Not that the BJP or Samata Party is any different – nor the Mayawatis or the Senas. Everyone in politics have had their reputation of fielding tainted candidates.
With the recent appointments in the Jammu & Kashmir government, there was some hope for good boys in Congress. But that seems to be a utopian thought.
Like Azhar, Sanjay Dutt also is also considering to fight polls from Lucknow.
Why is that a majority of celebrities who has a tainted image is willing to make a foray into politics? Is it that they know they have been in bad books and now they want to turn over a new leaf ? Or is it that they want to continue their saga and snowball the same into politics? If it’s the former they should definitely be given another chance and if it’s the latter, someone has to make a call and stop them from contesting elections.
The key question, however, is how will we ever know what is the true intent ? So, should they undergo a phased transition into contesting elections i.e. from a party worker to a secretary to a leader ? Not sure if they have the appetite for hardwork. Whatever be the method, high time that the so called good boys get a chance to serve the nations.
Can we ever see an Aamir Khan or a Shahrukh Khan fight elections ? If they can spread good messages through their films, I am sure they can carry the mantle into politics, as well.
From the cricketing arena, it will be heartening to see Sourav Ganguly or a Kumble take up politics – for a good cause. They have served the nation alright, but there is so much left in them – if not in cricket, in politics at least.
Similarly, Dhanraj Pillai, Baichung Bhutia, PT Usha, Prakash Padukone, Rani Mukherjee, Nandita Sen, Amol Palekar, Mohanlal etc are some names that come to mind if we really want to bring a systemic change.
If only the reverse were true i.e. the good boys in, the bad boys out !!!
Image Credit: Frankieb
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