Public leadership in politics is of interest because it impacts the people and the nation. There is much variety in India’s regional leadership, which can be gleaned from the chief ministers who head five States — Naveen Patnaik of Odisha, Captain Amarinder Singh of Punjab, Nitish Kumar of Bihar, Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh, and Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi.

Depending on the political economy of a State, acceptable leadership norms vary. Liberal think tanks highlight social justice, shared decision-making, collaborative, and transformational leadership models. Conservative think tanks rank on budget management, economic performance, execution of directives, and profitable transactions.

During the Covid crisis, the parameters of crisis management, crisis communication, conflict and resource management, collaboration capacity, goal clarity, and established procedures emerged as benchmarks of impactful leadership.

India has been mired in caste-based politics since getting rid of the British colonisers. There is also another trait which has passed on through its long civilisational history — dynasty-based leadership. Both caste and dynasty had historical legitimacy. Years ago, an assortment of kings ruled India.

The new, democratic form of governance might have been replicated for expediency or by default — political developments internationally definitely played a role in the perpetuation of this system.

Even today, dynasties in politics get discussed at the national level but are a non-issue internationally.

Voter mindset

Post-poll studies highlight a shift in voter mindset — local grassroots presence and local connections now matter across caste groups. The aforementioned five regional leaders have situational awareness, local connect, and identity overlap with the marginalised. Also, these have a professional identity — whether it is the management of a large math by Yogi Adityanath, brief electrical engineering work of Nitish Kumar, IRS officer in Arvind Kejriwal, Army credentials of Capt. Amarinder Singh, or writer and designer credits of Naveen Patnaik.

The chief ministers are known for their simple personal profile — kurta pajama , the saffron robe, government servant-type attire, or the retired army officer style of dressing — much in the tradition of Rajendra Prasad.

These dress codes appear to be a carry forward of their preceding jobs, and not any kind of symbolism.

While each of these leaders have had long political struggles, they have a knack for strategic thinking — a hallmark of successful middle management. Their team-oriented, bureaucracy-executed management is flexible and responsive to feedback, thus underscoring trust and relatability.

With upcoming polls in many of the regions, it will be interesting to observe what the voter is looking for — the millennials and Gen Z appear committed to the nation, with 65 per cent reporting willingness to fight for the country in a ‘values’ survey. National post-poll analyses showed reducing importance of caste in 2014, and support from millennials and women as crucial in 2019.

Moving ahead, the fight appears to be between the influence of impactful regional leaders — those who meet most standards of modern management and merge into an Indian identity — and insecure leaders sustained by old-world values.

On the global stage though, authentic and charismatic leaders who appear to have professional management styles seem a better bet for India’s economic and political future.

The writer is a policy analyst, social science researcher, coach and author

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