J Jayalalithaa, Mayawati and Mamata Banerjee are all self-made female politicians who have broken the glass ceiling in a male-dominated field. Their success as leaders and rise to power as heads of State are testimony to the health of Indian democracy
On the basis of their own abilities, Ms Mayawati, Ms Mamata Banerjee and Ms J Jayalalithaa have emerged as formidable regional leaders in a patriarchal society where political and leadership spaces have always been monopolised by men. This does not mean that there were no women politicians before them, but it is just that they rarely occupied top positions either within their party or the Government. But these three women have broken that glass ceiling — Ms Mayawati heads the Bahujan Samaj Party and has served four terms as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms Banerjee leads the Trinamool Congress and is currently Chief Minister of West Bengal, while Ms Jayalalithaa is chief of the AIADMK and presently serving her third term as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
All these three women share some traits. They head important regional parties and exercise unquestioned authority both within their political outfits and in Government. They are also all strong-willed individuals with an undisputed streak of authoritarianism. None of them tolerate any dissent. They also prefer to communicate directly with their party rank and file as well as with voters. This forthright approach has also helped create a sense of personal loyalty towards them. Finally, none of the three leaders are comfortable within a power-sharing equation.
let us take Ms Mayawati, for instance: While Kanshi Ram was her mentor, it was she who single-handedly converted his party into the formidable political force that it is today especially in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, the chief ministership of Uttar Pradesh was also not handed to her on a platter. She occupied this high office solely on the basis of her own political acumen. For instance, she has successfully mobilised the Dalits in her favour and even till this date, they remain her staunch supporters. But Ms Mayawati has also proven that she can look beyond her Dalit vote base, when necessary. She was able to rule Uttar Pradesh from 2007 to 2012 only because she brought the high caste voters into her fray as well. The BSP supremo has also earned the reputation of an efficient and effective leader who deals ruthlessly with criminals.
The story of Ms Banerjee is also similar. She has earned every inch of political space in West Bengal on the basis of a sustained political struggle. And it is this which brought her to power both in the State and at the Centre. However, unlike Ms Mayawati, Ms Banerjee has failed to prove her credentials as an administrator, as petty politics seem to have kept her busy. During the 2011 State Assembly election, she campaigned on the agenda of poribortan (change), yet the only thing that seems to have changed in West Bengal under her is growing lawlessness in the State.
As for Ms Jayalalithaa, she was initially patronised by MG Ramachandran, a popular leader of Tamil Nadu who also founded the AIADMK that she now heads. But today, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has well established her credentials as a mass leader and it is primarily on the basis of her own personal appeal that she holds the office of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Equally importantly, Ms Jayalalithaa has also raised the AIADMK to such strengths that it may directly confront M Karunanidhi’s family-run party, the DMK.
The Chief Minister is not only known for her administrative capabilities but also has strong nationalist credentials as proven by the firm stand she took against the lTTE in Sri lanka even as the militant group found support with dubious regionalist chauvinists such as Mr Karunanidhi. On the basis of their own abilities, Ms Mayawati, Ms Mamata Banerjee and Ms J Jayalalithaa have emerged as formidable regional leaders in a patriarchal society where political and leadership spaces have always been monopolised by men. This does not mean that there were no women politicians before them, but it is just that they rarely occupied top positions either within their party or the Government. But these three women have broken that glass ceiling — Ms Mayawati heads the Bahujan Samaj Party and has served four terms as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms Banerjee leads the Trinamool Congress and is currently Chief Minister of West Bengal, while Ms Jayalalithaa is chief of the AIADMK and presently serving her third term as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
All these three women share some traits. They head important regional parties and exercise unquestioned authority both within their political outfits and in Government. They are also all strong-willed individuals with an undisputed streak of authoritarianism. None of them tolerate any dissent. They also prefer to communicate directly with their party rank and file as well as with voters. This forthright approach has also helped create a sense of personal loyalty towards them. Finally, none of the three leaders are comfortable within a power-sharing equation.
let us take Ms Mayawati, for instance: While Kanshi Ram was her mentor, it was she who single-handedly converted his party into the formidable political force that it is today especially in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, the chief ministership of Uttar Pradesh was also not handed to her on a platter. She occupied this high office solely on the basis of her own political acumen. For instance, she has successfully mobilised the Dalits in her favour and even till this date, they remain her staunch supporters. But Ms Mayawati has also proven that she can look beyond her Dalit vote base, when necessary. She was able to rule Uttar Pradesh from 2007 to 2012 only because she brought the high caste voters into her fray as well. The BSP supremo has also earned the reputation of an efficient and effective leader who deals ruthlessly with criminals.
The story of Ms Banerjee is also similar. She has earned every inch of political space in West Bengal on the basis of a sustained political struggle. And it is this which brought her to power both in the State and at the Centre. However, unlike Ms Mayawati, Ms Banerjee has failed to prove her credentials as an administrator, as petty politics seem to have kept her busy. During the 2011 State Assembly election, she campaigned on the agenda of poribortan (change), yet the only thing that seems to have changed in West Bengal under her is growing lawlessness in the State.
As for Ms Jayalalithaa, she was initially patronised by MG Ramachandran, a popular leader of Tamil Nadu who also founded the AIADMK that she now heads. But today, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has well established her credentials as a mass leader and it is primarily on the basis of her own personal appeal that she holds the office of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Equally importantly, Ms Jayalalithaa has also raised the AIADMK to such strengths that it may directly confront M Karunanidhi’s family-run party, the DMK.
The Chief Minister is not only known for her administrative capabilities but also has strong nationalist credentials as proven by the firm stand she took against the lTTE in Sri lanka even as the militant group found support with dubious regionalist chauvinists such as Mr Karunanidhi.