The evolution of Somnath Bharti as a leader – a review of the past three years.

Prompted by some questions from someone, I've written some thoughts on Somnath's evolution as a leader. 

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I had resigned from the IAS in January 2001 with a view to reforming India's system politically. To cut a long story short, after various efforts and learnings I started the Freedom Team of India (FTI) in December 2007 to promote liberty and world-best economic and governance policies, with a key focus on identifying and building values-driven leaders who will contest elections. We had a slow but steady growth. 

Somnath and Vikram Buddhi

Somnath Bharti impressed me with his work for Vikram Buddhi (https://www.sabhlokcity.com/2010/03/the-vikram-buddhi-case/) and later joined Freedom Team of India in 2010. When everyone had forgotten Vikram, Somnath stood by his side. He stood for idea of liberty and against oppression of an Indian by the USA.

Somnath and IAC

Somnath had become close to Arvind Kejriwal during this period and represented IAC in the Commonwealth Games corruption case. 

Somnath and my meeting with Arvind Kejriwal

​Through Somnath I met Arvind Kejriwal in February 2012 and recommended that he join politics. Arvind did join politics later but choose an entirely different path (of socialism). Somnath was happy to let people know my role in motivating Arvind Kejriwal to join politics. On 5 May 2012 he wrote to a friend, with a copy to me:

"Sometime back, I had organized a meeting of Sanjeev with Arvind Kejriwal who was persuaded then by Sanjeev to look for political solution of corruption. I don't know if it is that persuasion or something else but as you know Arvind and his team announced their will of contesting the election 2014."

Somnath and Gurcharan Das

At one stage, I introduced him to Gurcharan Das (we went on a walk, together) and this is what Somnath wrote on 3 March 2012:

"I am sure that Gurcharan will play a more active and pivotal role in bringing a liberal govt in power at the center in addition to what he through his talks and writings is already doing. To make this possible, his presence in our monthly meetings will go a long way. I have startd reading his book "India Unbound" and my request for his active involvement in our work, more like a mentor, draws strength from his book. "  

I'm not sure if Somnath finished Gurcharan's book. My understanding about Somnath is that he is not very clear about ideology. That is not surprising. Although FTI has a requirement that anyone who joins it should commit to the principle of liberty it takes time (often years) for most FTI members to understand the implications of this principle.

Somnath has been generally busy with his job and other engagements, so he has not had time to interact actively regarding policy and principles as much as many other FTI members have. I do know that he has read much of my book, Breaking Free of Nehru, but he has not asked me questions about it. There was a brief discussion we had on education policy, once.

Somnath's FTI membership and AAP

Regarding political party involvement, FTI members are supposed to get active in politics. FTI approves parties that are broadly liberal, for its members to consider joining. FTI has also created SwarnaBharat Party in June 2013 to progress its political goals. After AAP was formed, its policy positions were not clear enough. Somnath told me that Arvind doesn't have any ideology but stands for 'whatever works'. That was not very promising. But Somnath became more influenced by Arvind during mid-late 2012.