White Beard, Curly Hair, Memories Of Past: How Nostalgia Works In Indian Politics

In Indian politics, nostalgia is always revered. In January 1998, when Sonia Gandhi was about to kickstart her career in Tamil Nadu, a 26-year-old woman snatched the glare. The woman with short curly hair, draped in a red saree, just uttered a single line바카라�바카라�All of you vote for the Congress바카라�. As Rasheed Kidwai shows in the book 24 Akbar Road, there was utter madness. People screamed, 바카라�She was our future leader.바카라� Notably, still wears the ring that she received from none other than her grandmother Indira Gandhi. The memory of still follows wherever Priyanka goes. 

Memory shapes the emotive responses. And when it comes to a state that thrives on memory, the image of the past determines the present. In the state of , political battles have always been fought on authenticity and memory. Who is the original Jharkhandi? Who did participate in the struggle for statehood? Who is entrenched in the memory of the soil? The names that come up immediately are Jaipal Singh Munda, Binod Bihari Mahato, A K Roy and Shibu Soren. The JMM, in none of its posters and banners, fails to showcase the image of their 바카라�Guruji바카라�. But what came as a surprise바카라�both in terms of memory and nostalgia바카라�was a bearded Hemant Soren coming out of jail.

As he comes out of on bail from Jharkhand High Court for his alleged role in a land scam, the visual optics became the talk of the town. His wide moustache, long hair, and dense white beard made him uncannily similar to his father. One of the old JMM supporters from Ranchi, recalling his days with Guruji, says, 바카라�The first time I saw him when he got out of jail to attend his uncle바카라�s post-death rituals, I was shocked. As if Guruji has come back again바카라�with his bustling energy.바카라�

A few days back, he and his wife Kalpana Soren visited Guruji to receive his blessings before the assembly elections. The photos of Shibu Soren and Hemant Soren went viral on social media, and people again started talking about their similarities. However, this is not the only time that Shibu Soren바카라�s shadow followed Hemant Soren.

In 2004, Shibu Soren, then the Union Coal and Mines Minister under the UPA-I government, disappeared for at least ten days as an arrest warrant was issued against him for his alleged involvement in a case from 1986.

When he reappeared, Soren said he was never in hiding; instead, he talked with 바카라�his own people바카라� in the villages and jungles of Jharkhand. He also blamed the BJP for calling him 바카라�absconded바카라�. Addressing the media, he said, 바카라�The fascist BJP, through the media, branded me absconding, missing and going in hiding. But revolutionaries never seek an escape route. I was making the people aware of BJP바카라�s conspiracy.바카라�

Almost a similar trail of events followed Hemant Soren when he was 바카라�reportedly바카라� missing for 24 hours on January 30, just before his arrest on the next day. When he reappeared and consequently handcuffed, he also blamed the BJP for the conspiracy. Both of them went to jail and made political comebacks.

바카라�Like father, like son바카라� is now the mantra JMM wants to veer in its favour. Will the nostalgia factor work in the assembly elections? Will the memories of Guruji steer the boat?