I love politics, period. I love its intricacies, its goals, its randomness, its ideals, its malice, but above all I love the political personalities – angels and daemons alike. I love to watch them grow, toil, meander and make their way around. There are two politicians from my home state UP, whom I have been observing for their whole careers when they were on main stage (so to say, for my whole life, for last 20 years ). Both of them are representative of oppressed classes in Indian society. Both of them have such strong leadership qualities for their supporters, that millions can move on their one signal. Both of them are arrogant and crude in their way. Both of them are so called “outsiders” in Indian political class. Both of them have been CM of UP several times. Both of them are very important in equation of next government formation. Both of them are facing corruption charges. Yes, I am talking about Madam mayawati and Maulana Mulayam. Both of them are staunch enemies of each other. Both of them are very interesting characters and fascinate me very much.
The one problem that mares both of these champion politicians is their lust for money (all politicians have lust for paisa, power and public, but Maya-Mulayam are many notches ahead of others in this field). Let me give an memoir on their money lust as speculated by public and perceived by myself.

Mayawati – I remember, the famous “tilak taraju aur talwar, inko maro jute chaar” slogan from my childhood. From an ordinary school teacher to PM-hopeful of biggest democracy in the world, “Dalit ki Beti” as she calls herself is a ray of hope for SC people in north India. Due to her politics, in every village, SCs (the biggest caste block in UP – 25%) are contesting elections of panchayats by themselves for the first time in history. Earlier they used to support the candidate who can give money/alcohol on election eve. In my own village now a lower caste person is Pradhan. All this is made possible by the moral strength given to lower caste people by rise of Behen Mayawati.
Now the flip of coin, She takes money for everything you can imagine in politics. As she has 25% vote bank in her pocket and is only decider of BSP, so assembly ticket (1 crore), parliament ticket (10 crore), Madam’s b’day (10000-10 crores), posting/transfer of DM/SP (10 lakhs) etc. The bigger problem is that she does not hide her money lust, it is a open show. If you question her, same answer “nobody wants to see a dalit ki beti making money”
This plague has undermined her whole persona and possibly her great place in Indian history. I just wonder, if she was not so lusty for money, it would have been an Obama-story of India.

Mulayam – I remember in my colony, there was residence of our local Janata Dal MP, where from 4am in morning loudspeaker used to start singing “Naam mulayam singh hai lekin kaam bade fauladi …” song. And, yes, he was a man of iron. I have never been his supporter though, but I admired him for his ideals and strictness. He was the champion of OBCs (specially Yadavs) and Muslims in UP, and still is. He was a simple man, rose from a normal middle class background, made his own fortune, became a idol of all local Gundas/students leaders. He was everything but not lusty for money, a true socialist.
Then came Amar Singh and polluted him with the hoards of money and star power. Now when he says in his manifesto that money power should be banned, people make fun of him. Some says that it is other way round and Amar Singh is a tool of Mulayam to convert his black money into white. Now you can see just a shadow of old Mulayam. Many colleagues have left him and many are looking a way out. Amar Singh hijacks every press conference/stage from him, and he is just a mute spectator.
I have a sense of pity for him as he was one of my favorite player in Indian politics and watching him spiraling down is painful.

Great theorist Abraham Maslow said that once an individual gets the power and recognition, his lust for money die out. In this case, he could not been more wrong. So, friends! it is not that UP has stopped producing great leaders, problem is those colored Gandhiji and our respect for them.