Dynastic politics ‘grave threat’ to Indian democracy: Shashi Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said dynastic politics across the political spectrum poses a “serious threat” to Indian democracy and asserted that it is time for India to trade “dynasty for merit”.

He said the quality of governance suffers when political power is determined by lineage rather than talent, commitment or grassroots participation.

In an article written for international media outlet Project Syndicate, the Thiruvananthapuram MP pointed out that although the Nehru-Gandhi family was associated with the Congress, dynastic succession dominated the political spectrum.

The BJP, meanwhile, followed up on Mr Tharoor’s remarks, calling it a “very enlightening piece” on how Indian politics has become a family business.

“HE [Tharoor] BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a direct attack on India’s nepo boy Rahul and chota nepo boy Tejaswi Yadav!

Mr. Tharoor’s remarks came weeks after a row over his comments on the India-Pakistan conflict and diplomatic assistance in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. The comments contradicted the Congress’s stand and many party leaders lashed out at him, questioning his intentions.

‘Nepotism trumps meritocracy’

In his article titled ‘Indian Politics is a Family Business’, Mr. Tharoor said that for decades, a family has dominated Indian politics. The influence of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, including independent India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and current opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said that the influence of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is linked to the history of India’s freedom struggle.

“But it also reinforced the idea that political leadership can be an inherent right. This idea has permeated Indian politics across every party, every region and at every level,” Mr. Tharoor said.

He said political parties in India are largely personality-driven, with a few exceptions.

Mr. Tharoor, who himself unsuccessfully contested the Congress presidential elections in 2022, said leadership selection processes were often opaque as decisions were made by a small group or even a single leader, figures with little interest in turning the tables.

As a result, he added, nepotism often overshadows meritocracy.

Pointing out that dynastic succession dominates the political spectrum, Mr. Tharoor said that after the demise of Biju Patnaik, his son Naveen won his father’s vacant seat in the Lok Sabha.

Bal Thackeray, founder of the Maharashtra-based Shiv Sena, said he has handed over the mantle to his son Uddhav, with his own son Aditya visibly waiting in the wings.

“The same goes for Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and later served by his son Akhilesh Yadav; Akhilesh is now an MP and president of the party. In Bihar, Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan was succeeded by his son Chirag Paswan.” he said and gave more examples from political dynasties.

He said beyond the “heartland” of India, Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by three generations of Abdullah, while the main opposition party was dominated by two generations of muftis.

“In Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal, long commanded by Parkash Singh Badal, has been taken over by his son Sukhbir. Telangana is currently witnessing a war of succession between the son and daughter of Bharat Rashtra Samithi founder K. Chandrasekhara Rao. In Tamil Nadu, late M Karunanidhi’s family controls the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam,” he said.

Not just in India

Mr. Tharoor also argued that this phenomenon is not limited to a handful of prominent families but is deeply woven into the fabric of Indian governance, from village councils to the highest echelons of Parliament.

“To be fair, such dynastic policies are practiced in the Indian subcontinent,” he said, citing examples of the Bhuttos and Sharifs in Pakistan, the Sheikh and Zia families in Bangladesh, and the Bandaranaikes and Rajapaksas in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Tharoor argued that dynastic politics poses a serious threat to India’s democracy.

“When political power is determined by origin rather than talent, commitment or grassroots participation, the quality of governance suffers. It is never advantageous to draw from a smaller talent pool, but it is particularly problematic when the main qualification for candidates is surname,” he said.

In fact, given that members of political dynasties are insulated from the challenges faced by ordinary people, they are often particularly ill-equipped to respond effectively to the needs of their voters, Mr. Tharoor said.

“It is high time India swaps dynasty for meritocracy. This will require fundamental reforms, from introducing legally mandated term limits to mandating meaningful intra-party elections, as well as a concerted effort to educate and empower voters to elect leaders based on merit,” Mr. Tharoor said.

He said that as long as Indian politics remains a family business, the promise of true democracy – ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’ – cannot be fully realised.

BJP slams Gandhi family

Another BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan attacked the Gandhi family, citing Mr Tharoor’s article.

“Former Congress Minister and CWC (Congress Working Committee) member Shashi Tharoor’s article on dynastic politics can be inferred as a scathing attack on the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. MR. Tharoor laments how the Nehru dynasty has reinforced the idea that political leadership can be a birthright, dating back to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,” he said.

It was published – 04 November 2025 02:53 IST