Look at me, I146;ve got nothing to hide

History is witness to the fact that whenever somebody goes against convention or the norms are challenged...

History is witness to the fact that whenever somebody goes against convention or the norms are challenged, there is bound to be a ruckus. When I was invited to the reality show Bigg Boss and decided to go with due permission from my leaders in Delhi, I had anticipated that I would draw a lot of fire because I was going to break some unsaid rules made for politicians.

People said that I was more interested in the entertainment world, planning to become a TV star, or trying to revive my 8220;fading8221; political career through this show. It was never that 8212; as a matter of fact I considered it a huge challenge and a chance to prove that we politicians can live under the scanner 24215;7. As a politician, the reach you get is far beyond that of news channels. And you can start a dialogue with unimaginably large audiences without putting on an act. I see no valid reason to miss out on this medium if one has nothing to hide and can spare some time.

It is a well known fact that in Europe and the US politicians frequently use reality TV as a part of their plan to reach out to the people. Yes, they always maintain their dignity and image within the format of the show. So did I. My question still remains the same despite all the criticism 8212; why do we shy away from providing a glimpse of ourselves, as we are, on TV? So far television has been using us through either selected sound bites or through grilling interviews or sting operations. Perhaps the time has come for us to use this opportunity instead.

Now let8217;s come back to Bigg Boss again. When I was entering the Bigg Boss house I was tense not because of 32 cameras set up in all over house but the time span each housemate was contracted to spend there. The concept of the show is brilliant.

All doors closed. Zero contact with the outside world. No phone. No Internet. No TV. No newspapers. The housemates are strangers to each other, and have to live together in constant proximity. The whole thing lasts 84 days 8212; a clash of personalities and a test of human nature. The show has been running in more than 30 countries with different names.

The biggest challenge for me was how to tear myself away from myself from my own world. I agree that I have not been given any big responsibility by my party and consequently, my presence was not needed everyday. But as a political worker, is it possible to stay away for so long, disconnected from my own workers and everyday social events? This was the question that preoccupied me till the end. In fact, though losing any game is utterly unpleasant, I felt really relieved on my exit.

Finally, it was a great experience being there. Spending 144 hrs with 13 different minds was little bit difficult, and understanding them was not an easy task. But I did succeed in a limited way. And forget about political rivals , the important thing is that once I came out of the Bigg Boss house, public feedback from was very positive. I wanted to strike a chord with middle class women, college-going students and the kids in my constituency, and that has been achieved to an extent.

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In today8217;s era, this 8216;telejeewan8217; is here to stay. it is up to all of us who believe in the principle of probity in public life to take a call.

The writer is Maharashtra Congress spokesperson and participated in 8216;Bigg Boss8217;