Ignoring a "maverick" is a safer option as it saves you from a "gatecrasher's bizzare agenda", BJP said today as it sought to justify Narendra Modi denying an an audience to Arvind Kejriwal.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said silence was dignified as it saves the embarrassment of engaging with a "maverick's bizzare agenda".
Without naming Kejriwal, Jaitley in an article attacked him saying elections are a great occasion for mavericks, who are shrill and is outlandish at times, know every trick to attract attention and publicity and is "colourful" on the electronic media than conventional politicians.
"I have always wondered how to deal with a maverick.
Do you answer questions which a maverick puts to you? Do you meet him when he tries to gate crash into your house? Do you allow him to occupy the centre stage by engaging him or do you ignore him and continue with your conventional style of setting the agenda? That I feel is a safer option.
"Silence can be the best response to a maverick.
Silence is dignified. It saves you the embarrassment of engaging with a maverick on his bizarre agenda. Narendra Modi therefore was well advised to deny an audience to Arvind Kejriwal," he said.
Jaitley said India has its own share of mavericks and many of the free thinkers join parties temporarily and then find themselves a misfit while some have even formed political parties.
"Their style is unconventional. They make arguments in an idiom intended to derive maximum publicity.
A maverick has a habit of making allegations without substance. Conventional politicians are reluctant to join issue with them because a maverick is capable of hitting below the belt. He is a wild card," he said.
"He is out of the ordinary. He shrills and at times outlandish. He knows every trick on how to focus attention on himself.
He attracts attention and publicity. He has no qualms about switching positions.
He is more colourful on electronic media than conventional politicians.
"Social media particularly the Twitter has a huge space for accommodating the maverick opinions. Many mavericks are committed to 'rent a cause' philosophy. They are on the lookout for causes which they can espouse," Jaitley said.
He said while film actors, sports persons, achievers are being persuaded by parties to join them and in some cases even become candidates, it is also the season for many to switch parties.
"Switching of parties or defection during election time is called re-polarisation of political forces," he noted.
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