It’s not easy for a political startup to thrive in India

Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth know that they first need a robust party structure

At last count, there were more the 1,800 political parties registered with the Election Commission. However, the numbers belie the challenges involved in building and sustaining a party. Historically, startups, whether in business or in politics, have a high mortality rate. So it is interesting to look at what factors make a political startup survive and thrive. Take the case of Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM), a party formed a year ago by the film star, Kamal Haasan, in Tamil Nadu (TN). The state’s political landscape has traditionally been dominated by Kazhgams (“federations”), which cater to various ideologies. From extreme right to extreme left parties to those which appeal to certain castes, region or religion, including ones promoting Tamil nationalism, the state has numerous players trying to appeal to various social, economic and political groups.

Just being helmed by a charismatic figure, such as Mr Haasan, does not guarantee the well being of a party. Acquiring electoral clout requires an organisational structure as well as activists. This is why Mr Haasan’s film star peer, Rajinikanth, has been loath to jump into the political arena without getting his organisational structure in place. A key reason attributed to the performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014 was its booth management and deployment of ideologically committed foot soldiers. Other parties have tried to emulate this. MNM, devoid of a robust organisational structure and well known candidates, has been forced to fall back on Mr Haasan’s appeal and charisma.

This is why he has also chosen not to contest from any seat. He said, “All candidates are my faces. I am proud carrying the palanquin rather than sitting in it.” The star realises that if he contests and is tied down to one constituency, the party will suffer. Only a clear ideology, a committed cadre, and visionary leadership will allow a political party to thrive.