With the political stage always posing some serious dilemmas for the common man, a new book titled, Realpolitik: Exposing India’s Political System, by Mamta Chitnis Sen attempts to bring out the keystones of Indian political party system.
It further aims to dissect the working machinery of a party with interviews of party workers from key political parties while documenting their journey.
Furthermore, the book brings out clear roadmaps of these party workers to make their respective parties victorious in elections, strategies, fundraising techniques, among other key points, needed to keep the party machinery alive.
Talking about its release its author Sen, points out that the role of political workers is always changing. “Their role saw a paradigm shift with the advent of social media. And this will certainly go on changing as regional parties take a firm foothold.
Chances are, we may see the advent of city-based political parties challenge the regional political parties.” She adds that the book also provides a glimpse into the ‘survival’ techniques political workers are forced to adapt to, to make themselves prominent in the eyes of their political masters, as well as explores the difficult task of running and managing a political party and its workers.
Interestingly, the book also examines the role of the Godfather in politics, shows how dissent is suppressed and managed by leaders in the political parties and women party workers. “The book brings forth the lives and stories of women party workers and the difficulties they endure in their path to having a successful political career.
The role of women in political parties will remain as important as anybody else depending on what she brings to the table. If she remains a mere figurehead of a family, then the role will be merely a symbolic one,” says Sen.