http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1025559
The Pramod Mahajan I know MUMBAI: It is not easy for one to write about a leader like Pramod Mahajan. There are quite a few mixed reactions that one can hear about the Bharatiya Janata Party leader who was shot at by his brother here on Saturday morning. Usually extremes, either people like him or hate him. There was hardly anyone who was indifferent or could ignore him. Pramod Mahajan evoked strong reactions. Mahajan's career span has been tremendous. His career growth was fast accelerating and his proximity to important heads in the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh helped him. He was a good networker for himself. Within the party too his growth was not liked by some. He had loyal supporters and a coterie, while rivals detested him. His animosity to Uma Bharti, Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj, Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitely has been famous in party circles. Their brawls were even public, so much for their reputation and image of a disciplined party. Mahajan lived up to his reputation by being blunt, that too in politics where diplomacy is the key word. He minced no words, cutting Modi to size and criticising his politics. In fact the story behind many of the 'changing guards' time again in the BJP party have been attributed to Mahajan's wielding of power. Though Mahajan was seen to be the blue-eyed boy of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he was in the good books of former deputy prime minister LK Advani too. Many in political circles attribute it to the shield he has from the RSS. In fact it is said that the one who enjoys the blessings of the parent party – RSS -- is always taken care of for the rest of his life. Mahajan is known for his friendships and that too across parties and colours. His fascination for the rich and powerful is no hidden secret. He has openly admired Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and industrialist, the late Dhirubhai Ambani. He has always been close to them and has not let his party politics come in the way. In fact it is a surprise that the BJP never objected to Mahajan, though the big surprise then is that they never uttered word against Mahajan. To the utter dismay of Mahajan's detractors, they felt he functioned on his own and in his own style. This is a fine skill he had being in a party like BJP. One must credit him for modernising the old guard in the BJP and its very fundamental functioning. At a time when the call rates on cell phones were Rs 12, Mahajan got the latest model of a cell phone. Mahajan is one techno-savvy and gadget-loving freak. Actually freak is a compliment, not wanting to make it sound derogatory. The first satellite phone in this country was probably seen in the hands of Mahajan at the BJP convention in Goa in 1999. Few may have even heard of it at that time. It was an interesting sight to see Mahajan show the way the phone works to us journos when we sat on the lawns in Goa's environs checking out the first satellite phone. Mahjan also made a recki call for us! This was the first time that BJP had broken away from its traditional racecourse convention days and moved onto the cool locales of Goa! Surprising as it may sound to most, the BJP leaders after the initial bickering began brazenly showing their posh tastes. The old Brahminical influence on the BJP party and leadership was strong. With it came the tendency to withhold and show off less. This was what most Brahmins did till the 1990s in India. Mahajan, mostly accused by his adversaries as another Brahmin leader to influence BJP strongly believed that 'flaunt it if you have it.' He felt it was time BJP leaders began enjoying themselves and urged them hold their conventions and conclaves in five-star places. After initial taunts from the media, Mahajan has hushed his adversaries again. His political career had interesting twists and turns. Mahajan lately has been in Delhi not elected to the post of a member of Parliament but has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Unlike his idol (Sharad Pawar, who doesn't even campaign for his elections), Mahajan has had a roller-coaster ride in elections. Yet, he managed coverage in media that is for a prime ministerial candidate. This was Mahajan's special style of functioning, a good manager that he was. Mahajan also kept himself in news. Along with his many skills, Mahajan was one Maharashtrian who's Hindi was impeccable. Once he began speaking, people would think he was a North Indian. Very few Maharashtrians can speak Hindi the way Mahajan could. His pronunciations and emphasis of words was something that many in this part of India can only dream of. Mahajan was always sure he wanted to be on the Delhi political turf although he focused on Maharashtra. He was the key man in the BJP-Shiv Sena tie-up in Maharashtra. Any crisis in this troubled marriage, as it was known, and the leaders would run to Mahajan to save it from breaking up. Mahajan was the only one Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray would confide in regarding BJP-Sena issues. But just as Mahajan began growing in stature, criticism against him increased, more so regarding his personal life. Much speculation and gossip made the rounds. Mahajan's name was dragged into the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case. With every incident, critics would seize the opportunity and say it was the end of the political road for Mahajan. Mahajan would never seem down and out. He was protected by seniors and, as many would say, Mahajan's stars were bright. Neeta Kolhatkar is a Special Correspondent with the Daily News & Analysis. -- DIE DULCI FREURE, DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. 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