This incident is not an isolated one and points to a recurring internal rift between Tharoor and sections of his party. (Image: Rediff)
A political storm has erupted following an article by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on dynastic politics, giving the BJP ammunition to target its rivals. The controversy centres on Tharoor's candid piece for Project Syndicate, where he argued that lineage-driven politics undermines governance. The BJP quickly seized the remarks, claiming Tharoor had "directly attacked" Rahul Gandhi, whom they called India's "nepo kid." This has forced Congress leaders to respond, revealing a clear effort to defend the party's core leadership.
Although the Congress party hasn’t formally reacted, senior members have come forward to defend the Nehru-Gandhi family in light of Tharoor’s article. Nehru was India's most capable prime minister, according to Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, who also cited the sacrifices made by Rajiv and Indira Gandhi. He implied that the Gandhis' legacy is based on service rather than privilege by asking if any other family had demonstrated similar devotion.
Other Congressmen tried to sidestep the criticism by claiming that dynastic influence is a problem that affects society as a whole and is not specific to their party Congress leader Udit Raj stated that a dynastic approach isn't limited to politics, pointing out that a doctor's son often becomes a doctor and a businessman's child continues in business. He claimed that election tickets are often distributed along caste and family lines across parties. To illustrate this, he named leaders from other parties, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, suggesting the practice is universal.
He made a vital point in his piece while acknowledging the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty's connection to India's freedom movement. They have "cemented the concept that political leadership might be a birthright," he wrote. He went on to say that the quality of government deteriorates when political authority is based more on ancestry than skill. He underlined that this is particularly troublesome when a candidate's primary qualification is their last name, which is a blatant criticism of the nepotistic culture. He added that the quality of government deteriorates when political authority is based on ancestry rather than aptitude. He underlined that this is particularly troublesome when a candidate's surname serves as their primary qualification, which is a blatant criticism of the nepotistic culture.
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This episode adds to a pattern of internal friction between Tharoor and some members of his party. Tensions had already surfaced when the government chose him to lead the Operation Sindoor delegation, even though Congress had not backed his name. Earlier, after Tharoor appreciated the 2015 Uri strike, Congress leader Udit Raj mocked him as the BJP’s “super spokesperson.” These repeated instances show the growing gap between Tharoor’s individual voice and the party’s collective stance.
