Politics, photography and a question of mood

Unfortunately, my camera has, at times, got me a front row seat for the soap opera, that national and state-level politics can often be

The famous military strategist, Clauzewitz, once said: War is nothing but an extension of politics. And anyone following the city’s front pages over the last week could be excused for wondering how akin the state CM’s office was to a 21st Century Stalingrad.
Unfortunately, my camera has at times got me a front row seat for the soap opera, that national and state-level politics can often be; with egos and riches being the pivots around which political worlds turn.
Money-hungry MLAs, their superegos filled with delusions of grandeur have often reached for the golden chalice, overlooking the plight of the common man, who are left to fend for themselves after pre-poll promises are ground into the dust of dishonesty.
The latest crisis to afflict Karnataka was pretty much a battle of nerves, and as I look back on the coverage across newspapers, only a few images, I feel, told the story of the crisis from a human angle.
One of these images was the one that showed the CM, sitting alone in his office, prior to leaving for New Delhi to learn his fate. It was a grim image, but the situation indeed warranted such seriousness.

Anyone following the city’s front pages over the last week could be excused for wondering how akin the state CM’s office was to a 21st Century Stalingrad.

The second picture showed BSY feeding JR. Their expressions were priceless. Both looked like they had got the better of the other, while AK’s smugness as he stood next to them spoke volumes about how the whole shenanigan had worked out for him.
Going back to the days when the state was ruled by the many avatars of the Janata Dal, I was fortunate enough to be the only local photojournalist based in New Delhi. My assignment was to keep the newspaper supplied with images every time one of the state’s politicians walked through the halls of power in the capital.
It was during this stint that Karnataka went through a period of intense political turmoil. And while the state was proverbially burning I managed to photograph the incumbent CM, JH Patel, relaxing at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi. I found him relaxing in bed with a plate of cucumbers and a glass of wine in his hand, while updating himself on the news on TV. The picture made the front page, and the accompanying headline was as witty, as it was pertinent: Cool as Cucumber: When the whole state burns.
But the one photograph I still cherish came from a rather unique opportunity to snap two big-time political leaders (one former chief minister who was known in political circles as the kingmaker, along with a union minister from the powerful Yadav group) standing at urinals (backs to the camera!) with their face visible on the mirror in front of them, all the while discussing how they were going to convince a humble farmer prime minister to step down and ensure they keep their front united. The newspaper ran with it in seven columns, with the classic headline: ‘Toilet Politics’.
My advice to young photographers is to keep an eye on the mood of the crises, and the pictures will follow. My advice to politicians: Service to the people is service to the gods.