The original and most popular bachelor politician was of course Gandhi, the goat-milk-drinking-groundnut-eating Gandhi, the father-of-the-nation Gandhi. Gandhi was a married man who managed the miracle of becoming a bachelor politician. He made his celibacy public. This gave him a sainthood, whereas anywhere else in the world he would have been berated or mocked for denying pleasure to his wife and for not taking his conjugal responsibilities seriously.
