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Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has warned that dynastic politics is a grave threat to Indian democracy. In an article for Project Syndicate, he argued that political power should be based on merit rather than lineage. He pointed out that while the Nehru-Gandhi family is synonymous with Congress, dynastic succession is rampant across all Indian political parties. Tharoor also criticized the opaque nature of leadership selection in Indian politics, which he said is usually decided by a small group or a single leader. He gave examples of dynastic politics from different parties, including Naveen Patnaik succeeding his father, Biju Patnaik, in Odisha, and Uddhav Thackeray succeeding his father, Bal Thackeray, as head of the Shiv Sena. The Congress leader also cited examples from outside India, such as the Bhuttos and Sharifs in Pakistan and the Bandaranaikes and Rajapaksas in Sri Lanka. He stressed that dynastic politics undermines good governance by limiting the talent pool available for leadership positions. Tharoor argued that members of political dynasties are often out of touch with the realities faced by ordinary citizens. To combat the issue of dynastic politics, Tharoor called for major reforms such as term limits and internal party elections. He stressed that true democracy can't be achieved until political leadership is based on merit rather than family ties. His comments come amid criticism from within the Congress over his recent remarks on India-Pakistan relations and diplomatic efforts after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to react to the remarks. It claimed that Tharoor had directly attacked what it called India's nepo kid, Rahul Gandhi, and chhota nepo kid, Tejashwi Yadav. BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed the statement, saying Tharoor must have said this based on experience. Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj dynastic approach isn't limited to politics. A doctor's son becomes a doctor, a businessman's child continues in business, and politics is no exception, he said. While there was no official reaction from the Congress, Pramod Tiwari said, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the most capable Prime Minister of this country...Indira Gandhi proved herself by sacrificing her life. So, if someone talks about the Gandhi family as a dynasty, then which other family in India had the sacrifice, dedication, and ability that this family possessed? Was it the BJP? he asked.
