3 IIM-C grads manage BJP’s poll strategies

Kolkata: If you thought Bschool and the BJP don’t go together, think again: at least three IIM-Calcutta graduates are applying their management wizardry to strengthen the saffron stock.
The three are either pursuing political internship or volunteering for the BJP in Mumbai and Delhi. What’s more, none is ruling out an active involvement in politics in future. “If not a fulltime career, I may end up in politics in the future,’’ says Ankur Gattani, a 2008 graduate who runs his own business in Mumbai. “I will have enough in my kitty before I take a plunge into active politics. Moreover, even if parties don’t pay a salary, they take care of a lot of your necessities,’’ Gattani, who is looking after the party’s IT cell in Maharashtra, said.
The three are not fighting the polls, instead they are involved in assisting the party leadership in wooing voters, especially the youth.
Harsh Vardhan Chhaparia has been a member of L K Advani’s communication team at 26 Tughlaq Road. “I research for him, prepare press releases and help in updating the party’s website,’’ Harsh says. The party has found him a bungalow, which he shares with BJP national secretary Sudhendra Kulkarni.
Shubham Singal writes articles and does research work for the BJP website. “In it, we clarify the baseless remarks made against the party. If BJP leaders have been misquoted, we try and set the record straight,’’ Singal says. He believes that in future he might take a sabbatical and contest the polls as an Independent, much like Meera Sanyal, ex-ABN AMRO Bank CEO who is contesting from the Mumbai South seat. These young B-school grads feel that the lack of financial stability is the root of politicians turning corrupt.

SAFFRON SHINING: Ankur (top) runs a business in Mumbai besides looking after the party’s IT cell, while Harsh Vardhan is a member of Advani’s communication team