Why India is taking to the US' Big Boss reality show

Indians now follow foreign political happenings with more gusto than ever before, thanks to the diaspora. If the Khalistani agenda and Trudeau skewing Canadian foreign policy currently offer limitless themes and memes for desi outrage and mirth, British and American politics have also come into Indian discourse. Will Sunak save the Conservative Party’s bacon? And could Nikki Haley or Vivek Ramaswamy become US’ Big Boss? Distance makes all the difference: Indians are watching the US elections like a reality show, in which the desis are the two favourites irrespective of their stances on key issues that could make or break their bid there. It is pure ‘timepass’ for most watchers here. Chances are slim that Ramaswamy will become Rashtrapati, at least this time. It is also unlikely that Haley will win, but her being the only woman in the fray makes it an additional matter of desi pride here. The “best case scenario” for Indians watching the US ka Big Boss qualifying rounds from India with no skin in the game, is that one of them might occupy Number One Observatory Circle, the official residence of US Vice Presidents since 1974, if Donald Trump pulls off the unthinkable (for many) next year. And the way the Nikkiji and Vivekji sparred in the second debate of GOP hopefuls (except Trump) shows they are aware of each other’s winning potential. Indians noticed Ramaswamy drew the most flak from all the others this time as the “winner” of the previous (first) debate, although Florida Governor Ron De Santis still ranks second behind Trump in the opinion polls. As many believe Haley won the latest round—especially thanks to her sustained attack on Ramaswamy—she will indubitably be the focus of ire next time. Unless Trump finally deigns to participate and has all of them firing at him. Of course, when Trump steps into the arena, a lot will depend on who he targets most and least. US political watchers are saying De Santis and Haley—or the other way round—may be the best alternative to a ticket featuring Trump, so those two will probably be his prime targets. But the big question of Big Boss 2024 is whether either American-desi will end up partnering the most mercurial and divisive non-politician to ever dominate current US politics. To the delight of some audiences (here and there) one has made himself a Trump understudy, albeit with better articulation and dress sense and may jump at the offer to be running mate. But given her tenor, the other might find it difficult to contemplate the idea of being saddled with the legacy of a Trumpian second term as his veep. Look what happened to Mike Pence. But if she discounts any Trump association now, would Republicans allow her another shy at top job? The attraction of being an outsider when voters are disgusted with the existing system has been conclusively demonstrated by Narendra Modi’s brilliant campaign in 2014. That Trump is leading the pack for the Republican nomination for Big Boss by miles shows US voters are undeterred by the legal albatrosses being hung around his neck and are still annoyed with professional politicians who comprise the “system” there too. Haley cannot ignore that. More so as she is a dyed-in-the-wool politician like all the other GOP Big Boss contenders barring Ramaswamy, who markets himself, like Trump, as an outsider revelling in not being part of the system. As a former governor and Trump’s ambassador to the UN, Haley cannot go as far as Ramaswamy in her prescription for change. As a new kid on the block, Ramaswamy can promise radical changes to intractable issues in order to woo a young and restless audience. Could Ramaswamy thus be Trump’s way to reach a different Big Boss votebank? Indian politics (and even reality shows) are somewhat easier to predict. Candidates can tap into regional, religious and even caste loyalties. No such clear cut pointers are there in the western context, so it is hard to say how voters would regard Haley or Ramaswamy on a Trump ticket or as his veep. Could either one be seen as a distinct entity or merely a “Trump-plus-one”? There is also the grande finale to consider, where the winners of this qualifying round will have to contend with the incumbent Big Boss, creaky though he may seem at present. Although there were murmurs about Joe Biden being too old for the game, the other current ‘long shot challengers’ Robert Kennedy Jr and Marianne Williamson are not really in the running. The name of Michelle Obama as a dark horse entry is floating around too but that seems unlikely too. The presence of two Indian-origin contestants—sorry, candidates—in the GOP line-up has definitely added colour to the US ka Big Boss race, a reality show that would not normally have much of an audience in India. Now, however, Indians have gotten used to seeing desi contestants becoming Big Boss in other geographies, so the 2023-24 season in the US will continue to draw interest in India at least as long as Haley and Ramaswamy remain in contention. In the UK, Rishi Sunak was first defeated by Liz Truss in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as the Big Boss there because the average Conservative voter was wary about letting a very young, very rich and very articulate desi-Briton lead them; they chose the familiar white woman instead. Sunak only got the top job when Truss imploded and the Tory lawmakers realised that he was the safer pair of (brown) hands in the crucial lead up to the next general elections. The latest UK polls show Sunak narrowing the gap with Labour before the next general elections, which till recently was regarded by many as being as impossible as Trump winning in 2024. Indians back home know Ramaswamy or Haley will face a similar crisis of confidence if Trump wins with either of them in tow. But even if neither wins this Big Boss contest, could US voters later think of either of them as the Great Brown Hope of the Republican Party? The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .