Ramachandra Guha in The Telegraph, Calcutta:
“Jawaharlal Nehru did not hope or desire that his daughter should succeed him as prime minister — a fact that is not as widely known as it should be. On the other hand, Indira Gandhi worked to make first Sanjay and then Rajiv her political successor. Sonia Gandhi has followed her mother-in-law scrupulously in this respect, for she has likewise ensured that her own son would head the party, and, perhaps in time, the government.
“The example set by India’s greatest political party has been followed by many lesser ones. Had Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi not acted in this fashion, perhaps Bal Thackeray, Parkash Singh Badal, M. Karunanidhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav would not so brazenly have treated their own political parties as family firms.”
Read the full article: Its own greatest enemy
churumuri 
By what measure is it the Congress “India’s greatest political party” ? Its little more than the oldest. It is also the most succesful in terms of governments at the centre and in the states. Whether it can be called great or not, is very subjective.
Yes of course, dynastic politics has been followed by almost all the major parties except may be the communists. It is just that because the Congress has had more governments at the centre, people seem to assiciate more easily and readily with the congress when it comes to dynastic politics (Or should I say politics of dynasty). Politics of dynasty clearly has more examples when it comes to state politics. Here, interestingly you can hardly find any instance of the congress whereas when it comes to other parties (regional) their dynasties have been limited to the states. I think it is the case of “One Party One Dynasty”.
The list goes on… The post surprisingly misses the Dynasties in Andhra Pradesh (TDP), TN (AIADMK), and Bihar (Lalu-Rabri’s RJD).
It is interesting to note that there is very little evidence of dynasties in the BJP. I think it is more because the families of its pominent leaders have not joined politics (Does it speak somethig about the party?). There are some signs of it though, In Karnataka (Yediyurappa – Father and Son and the Reddy family). The Gandhi Family in Uttar Pradesh and The Scindhias (only one member now) in Rajasthan.
The BSP too is a strong party in UP and is also largely undemocratic in terms of appointment of its leaders. Still no signs of dyansty though.
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I dont know why people are displaying selective amnesia about dynasty politics.It is incorrect to say that BJP is not following dynasty politics.There are Mr.Yediyurappa (Karnataka CM) and his son,Karnataka Health Minister and mine owner B. Sriramulu’s sister Shanthi (Bellary) and Karnataka Public Works Minister C.M. Udasi’s son, Shivakumar Udasi (Haveri).Mallikarjunappa’s son G.M.Siddeshvara,Jasvanth Singh and his son .
The list has many more people if you dig .
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Learnt from Sonia G.?
Dear Mr. Guha, it is only your spectacles are tinted with admiration and servitude to the Gandhi family, all the politicians that you refer, have been in politics for decades before Sonia Gandhi’s entry into electoral politics.
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Whatever we may say, our countrymen and women are living in stone age mentally as they are yet to understand what is democracy and think that post of PM and CM are hereditary and vote accordingly. This very well explains the success of Nehru dynasty which is continuing since ages and will continue ad-infinitum, as long as the Nehru family wants to make their children as heirs to their throne. It is a known fact in Congress party that if someone nurses an ambition for top post he is branded as ‘Raja drohi” and ousted from the party. This wrath of dynasty ensured that there is no other leader in congress except the heirs and heir apparents.
It is different with BJP as the party was never in the stronghold of a single individual and the power is distributed widely in the organization as well as in its mentor organizations such as the RSS.
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I only wish the nominated heir apparent have some basic qualifications. Even though the baton passed on to Indira and then to Rajiv. Both had the necessary qualifications to endorse the PM’s chair. They were fine orators. They surely had a vision for this country. Of course they have erred lot of times in decision making, but that doesnt make them incompetent.
But if you look @ the present rulers of the gandhi family. Its appalling, because neither madam maino nor his beta of beti have any vision for the country . They dont even have slightest idea on education, economy what not. All that they have is ***-licking sycophantic senapati’s to guide them. The way the Yuvraaj made a fool out of himself in the “coming out of age” press conference speaks volumes on the incompetency of the gandhi family.
Varun seems to be far better, he has some concern about growing indian population which doesnt find a mention in any of the election manifesto.
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Hidden face at Sonia door spills game
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090513/jsp/frontpage/story_10957082.jsp
“Delhi weather is too hot… I was sweating”. He did not say whether the air-conditioner in the Mercedes he was travelling in had packed up, making his hand the sole shield against the Delhi heat.
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Ramguha says “Jawaharlal Nehru did not hope or desire that his daughter should succeed him as prime minister — a fact that is not as widely known as it should be.”
I vaguely remember rumours to the contray, repeated in “Drama of Sycophany” by Kuldip Nayyar
(http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080420/edit.htm)
“Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, would have liked Indira Gandhi to be his successor. He got her to be the Congress president. But he was too democratic to play with members in the Lok Sabha. He had her in mind.
Lal Bahadur Shastri, with whom I worked as Press Secretary, told me many a time that “in Panditji’s mind is her daughter”.
Nehru could not nominate Indira Gandhi on another count. Top state leaders were there. He could not afford to ignore their opinion. He cut many ministers, including Morarji Desai, down to size when he ousted some ministers from the central Cabinet and a few Congress Chief Ministers under the Kamaraj plan.
This only alienated them. They could not have confronted Nehru during his lifetime but would have killed the proposal to make Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister after his death. “
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Nehru did not intend to make Indira his successor, hmm? Perhaps it is also true that Nehru did not pressure Gandhi into neutralising support for
V. Patel to be India’s first prime minister. Guha, best known for his book about what the post-independence era has wrought in India ought to know better.
However, I do agree that political parties in India ape the Congress shamelessly in many respects. Hence the absence of serious qualitative variations among them.
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Talk between two leaders- one from Karnataka and another from Delhi- was held for ‘alliance’. here are the minutes of the meeting—
S- May Bharat Ki Bahu Hai
K- Naanu Mannina Maga
S- Oh Tumhara pitaji Mannu hai
K- Alla Ree, Namma Appa Gowda
S- Oh you mean Mannu and Gowda are one
K- Nai Jee, Mannina Maga means son of the soil
S- I never knew your father is soiled, I am extremely sorry about it.
K- finally translator is roped in
S- Helaiah, Manninamaga ondu Gaade.
Translator- Madam son of the soil means down to earth person.
S– O O. I am sorry. Koi baat Nahi Chalo Mudde Ki baat karte hain
K- Mudde, Neevu Mudde tinteera. Nammagu mudde andare bahla ishta. Nanige Sugar iddudarinda naanu dinaaglu mudde tinnutene.
S- Probably I am failing to communicate with you properly. I am saying let us talk about the issues.
K- Yes issues. Nannige ondu Maga. Nimmage eradu issue alva madam.
S- Stop it. No alliance for now.
K- Sorry madam. Helaiah translator Naavu alliance koskara bandiddeve.
Translator- Madam they have come for alliance.
S- Is it? Very good. secular forces need to be united.
K- Houdu madam, secular forces ondu aagbeku. Adikke alliance gagi naa bande.
S- good good. What plans you have?
K- Enu maadali madam. matte ee alliance ge nimma oppanda idiye?
K- yes- Matte Muhurtha yavaga.
S- for what
K- Maduve. Nanna Magana maduve nimma magala jote ge!!!!
S- Before Robert kills you, I will wipe you out. Get lost…. you………..
Meeting finished.
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Dear Mr. Guha I read you
thanks a lot
chanchal
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