The Congress showcased its “second generation” leaders, slated to take centre-stage in the near future, at a press conference here last week, but the exercise failed to break the impression that the party promotes dynastic politics, as all the leaders present in the press meet, from Jyotiraditya Scindia to Sachin Pilot, were from prominent political families.
The press meet had been called to “take a dig” at the BJP-led NDA government’s claims of development on the government’s completion of three years. Charges against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly not fulfilling the promises made during the 2014 election were voiced by former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, son of Madhavrao Scindia. Madhavrao Scindia held key positions in the party and in the Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao governments, before his death in 2001.
Also present on stage was former minister R.P.N. Singh, whose father C.P.N. Singh was Minister of State for Defence in the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government in 1980. Rajasthan Congress head Sachin Pilot was also present on stage. Sachin Pilot is the son of Rajesh Pilot, who was inducted into politics by Rajiv Gandhi and played a leading role in the party and successive Congress governments before he was killed in a car accident in 2000.
Randeep Surjewala, head of the Congress’ communications department, too was present on stage. A Legislative member from Haryana, Surjewala is the son of Shamsher Singh Surjewala, an important political figure of the Congress. His father was a five-time legislator in the Haryana Assembly and he also held several ministerial positions in the state. Shamsher Singh Surjewala was also made a Rajya Sabha member.
Lok Sabha member Sushmita Dev, daughter of veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev, was also seated in the press briefing. Dev belongs to a prominent political family from Silchar in Assam, and her father was a seven-time MP.
These are only a few names, as the Congress party has a long list of leaders coming from political families.
Talking to The Sunday Guardian, senior Congress leader and spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh, said: “These leaders are democratically elected and not appointed by their families; therefore, the allegation of the Congress following dynastic politics is baseless.” “People like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot are dynamic and young and the people of this country have voted for them. Therefore, I don’t think there is anything wrong in that,” Singh said.
Though it is an acknowledged fact that almost all political parties—from the Samajwadi Party and the Shiv Sena to the Shiromani Akali Dal, the National Conference and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam—across the country are dominated by dynasties, the Congress is regarded as the party that set this trend.