Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has raised concerns over the dominance of dynastic politics in India, describing it as a serious threat to the country’s democratic system. He urged that political leadership should be based on merit rather than family connections.
In a recent article for international media platform Project Syndicate, the Thiruvananthapuram MP criticised the practice of political succession determined by lineage instead of competence, dedication, or engagement with local communities. He warned that such a system undermines the quality of governance.
Dynastic politics prevailing across political spectrum, says Tharoor
Tharoor acknowledged that the Nehru-Gandhi family is often linked to the Congress party, but he pointed out that the trend of dynastic politics is widespread across all major political parties in India.
He emphasised that it is time for the country to move towards a merit-based approach in politics, where leaders are chosen for their ability and commitment, rather than their family background.
"It is high time India traded dynasty for meritocracy. This would require fundamental reforms, from imposing legally mandated term limits to requiring meaningful internal party elections, together with a concerted effort to educate and empower the electorate to choose leaders based on merit," he wrote.
BJP reacts
The BJP has seized upon the issue, claiming it was apparently a reference to Rahul Gandhi. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla warned Tharoor of the repercussions, noting that the former was also targeted when he made similar comments in 2017. Earlier, he called Tharoor's article 'insightful'.
“Dr Tharoor has become Khatron ke Khiladi. He has directly called out Nepo Kids or Nawabs of Nepotism. Sir when i called out Nepo Naamdar Rahul Gandhi in 2017 - you know what happened to me. Sir praying for you…First family is very vengeful,” Poonawalla posted on X.
