India's famous political families

New Delhi, Feb 6: Indian democracy has been a matter of envy for its neighbours as well as western powers that never trusted the wisdom and maturity of Indian electorate – so essential for running a democracy.Indian democracy has crossed all hurdles from corruption to communalism but there is one area where the system has surrendered to the will of those politicians who believe in perpetuating family rule. Since the relatives of these politicians are elected by popular votes, it has to be accepted as part and parcel of political discourse but it is definitely an eyesore for those who look at democracy as an institution that is fuelled and sustained by merit rather than political lineage. It's a fact that more than 80 percent of young and successful politicians come from political families.Let's have a look at some of the famous political families of India:1. Nehru-Gandhi family: Nehru-Gandhi family is India's unofficial first political family. The family's political connection goes back to the times of Motilal Nehru who used to be a respectable and influential leader of Congress party in pre-independence era. From Motilal Nehru, the baton passed over to Jawahar Lal Nehru who went on to become the first Prime Minister of India. Nehru groomed his daughter Indira Gandhi for political role and she proved to be one of the most successful Prime Ministers of India. Indira Gandhi's two sons – Sanjay and Rajiv – followed their family tradition and joined Congress. Sanjay Gandhi used to be very powerful in Congress party and he was seen as the main person who prodded Indira Gandhi to impose emergency in 1975. Sanjay Gandhi died in an accident and that paved the way for the emergence of Rajiv Gandhi as the political heir of Nehru-Gandhi family. Rajiv Gandhi took over as the Prime Minister of the country after the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her own bodyguards in 1984. After Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991, his widow Sonia Gandhi decided against joining active politics but fate had other plans in store for her. In the absence of leadership from Nehru-Gandhi family, Congress party's fortunes started dwindling and Sonia Gandhi was left with no option but to join active politics. A reluctant Sonia joined active politics and took over the reins of the Party. Sonia succeeded in bringing a turnaround in Congress party's electoral fortunes as the party under UPA umbrella snatched the reins of power from BJP led NDA in 2004. Sonia Gandhi anointed Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister in the backdrop of fierce opposition from BJP and other vocal sections of the society who were completely against any foreign born person becoming the Prime Minister of the country. The Congress-led UPA under her leadership scored a repeat victory in 2009 and will be completing its second consecutive term in 2014. Sonia Gandhi has already declared Rahul Gandhi as the political heir of Congress party. Congress party will be fighting 2014 General Elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi's daughter, Priyanka Gandhi also takes keen interest in Indian politics but for the time being it's Rahul who is in the driver's seat. 2. Thackeray family (Maharashtra) Thackeray family has been the unofficial first family of Mumbai, if not Maharashtra. Bal Keshav Thackeray was the most prominent face of Thackeray family in Maharashtra. A cartoonist by profession, Thackeray formed ‘Shiv Sena' that espoused the cause of Maratha interest and Marathi language.After a long struggle, Thackeray's Shiv Sena, in alliance with BJP, succeeded in snatching power from Congress in 1995. The Shiv Sena-BJP government ruled Maharashtra from 1995-99.Bal Thackeray was one of those controversial politicians of India who were blamed for fanning communal and regional chauvinism in Maharashtra. But he was a force to reckon with in Maharashtra politics.The story of Thackerays began with the arrival of Keshav Sitaram Thackeray to Bombay. Keshav Sitaram Thackeray was also known as Prabodhankar Thackeray because of his articles in his fortnightly magazine named Prabodhan.The Thackerays played a vital role in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. Leading from the front was Keshav Thackeray, one of the five prominent leaders of the movement.Bal Thackeray, at the time, worked as a cartoonist in the Mumbai daily newspaper ‘Free Press Journal'. He also contributed to Marathi publications, including Navyug, under the pseudonym Mavla. Bal Thackeray supported the demands made by the samiti and attacked the Congress through his cartoons.Bal Thackeray lost his wife Meena to a heart attack in September 1996. His eldest son Bindumadhav died in a road accident on 20 April 1996.His other son,Jaidev, had parted ways with Thackeray in 1995 over ideological differences when the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance was in power. He has kept himself away from politics all these years. Jaidev divorced his wife Smitha Thackeray who is a renowned personality in Maharashtra and owns a TV production house.Bal Thackeray's nephew Raj Thackeray used to be his lieutenant not very long ago but he parted ways with the first family when the senior Thackeray decided to anoint his son Uddhav as the second-in-command of Shiv Sena. Today, Raj is heading his own party – Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a more rabid version of Shiv Sena.Uddhav Thackeray, Bal Thackeray's youngest son, has taken over as the president of Shiv Sena after the demise of Bal Thackeray.3. Mulayam Singh Yadav family (Uttar Pradesh)For all practical purposes, Mulayam Singh's family is ruling Uttar Pradesh today. Mulyam has now handed over UP to his son Akhilesh Yadav who has taken over the reins of power as the youngest CM of the state. Mulayam Singh's brothers and relatives are calling the shots in both the UP government and party machinery. One of his brothers Ram Gopal Yadav is a Rajya Sabha MP,another brother Shivpal Yadav is a senior UP minister while his daughter-in-law and Akhilesh Yadav's wife, Dimple Yadav, is a sitting MP in Lok Sabha.Mulayam Singh Yadav can be easily termed as the shrewdest but pragmatic socialist politician of India. He swears in the name of the Socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia, who spent his entire life opposing Congress, but has unabashedly emerged as the saviour of the Congress led governments in recent times.4. Lalu Prasad family (Bihar)Lalu Prasad, like Mulayam Singh Yadav, started his political career opposing the dynastic hegemony in Congress party but he went on to anoint his own wife Rabri Devi as the Chief Minister of Bihar after he was forced to resign in the wake of charges leveled against him in the famous Fodder scam. Not only his wife, Lalu's brother-in-laws, Sadhu and Subhash Yadav, became very powerful when RJD was in power in Bihar. Both of them became members of parliament just because they were related to Lalu and Rabri. Even today, when RJD is out of power, Lalu's brother-in-laws are very powerful in party circles. 5. Karunanidhi Family (Tamil Nadu):M Karunanidhi has played an important role in Tamil Nadu politics. He is a veteran of Dravidian politics.He always opposed nepotism in political life but like Mulayam and Lalu ended up encouraging family rule in Tamil Nadu. He has declared his son M K Stalin as his heir apparent. One of his daughters, Kanimozhi, is also in active politics and is an influential DMK MP. She is an accused in 2G case and was put behind bars, but later released on bail. Heir apparent M K Stalin has been a four time MLA in Tamil Nadu Legislative assembly and a one time deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi's other son, M. K. Alagiri, is the Minister of Chemicals in the central cabinet and also the co-ordinator in South Tamil Nadu for DMK. Karunanidhi's nephew,Dayanidhi Maran has been the union cabinet minister for two terms, once as a Minister of Information and Technology and once as a Minister of Textiles.6. Reddy Brothers (Karnataka):The Reddy Brothers of Karnataka have rewritten the rules of politics in Karnataka. From mining barons to kingmakers – they have travelled a long distance. They have been at the center of the illegal iron-ore mining controversy in Karnataka. Janardana Reddy and his brothers G. Karunakara Reddy and G. Somashekara Reddy were born into the family of police constable Chenga Reddy, and grew up in Bellary. Reddy brothers played an important role in the emergence of BJP as an alternative to Congress in Karnataka. Reddy brothers helped Sushma Swaraj in offering a very tough challenge to Sonia Gandhi when she decided to fight Lok Sabha elections from Bellary.Janardana Reddy went on to become a minister in first BJP minister in Karnataka. In August 2011, D. V. Sadananda Gowda succeeded B. S. Yeddyurappa as chief minister of Karnataka and did not include Reddy in the cabinet of ministers. Presently, Janardana Reddy is behind bars in illegal mining case related to Associated Mining Corporation owned by him.7. Owaisi family (Andhra Pradesh):Owaisis have been powerful in Hyderabad politics since independence. They were originally followers of Nizam rule and set up the Razakars, who fought a losing battle against the Indian Union. It all started with Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi who became a Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad in 1984. Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat has been retained by MIM and Owaisi since then.The two sons of Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi – Asaduddin and Akbaruddin- have courted controversy for their hate speeches directed against the majority community.