Overview
- In a Project Syndicate piece, the Congress MP calls dynastic politics a grave threat to democracy and argues India should move from dynasty to meritocracy.
- He explicitly cites the Nehru-Gandhi family as entrenching the notion of leadership as a birthright and lists similar successions across parties such as DMK, BJD, Shiv Sena, SP, LJP, SAD, BRS and TMC.
- Tharoor backs his critique with data, noting 149 political families with multiple assembly members, plus 11 union ministers and nine chief ministers with family links.
- BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hails the piece as a direct attack on Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, using it as campaign ammunition ahead of Bihar’s November 6 polling.
- Congress has not issued an official response, with reports of internal unease and some leaders urging disciplinary action, even as voices like Udit Raj downplay the critique as reflecting broader social patterns.