There is a school of thought that political dynasties subvert the democratic processes of a country. But if the 2014 results are any indication, the above cannot be true absolutely. The Gandhi dynasty has done much greater harm to the Congress party than to the nation and this is the beauty of a vibrant and strong democracy.
Dynastic politics for one, tends to concentrate all power in the hands of a few. And since Congress was in governance for a long period of time, positions in governance automatically became the private preserve of a few ruling families. Power was being passed vertically and laterally, from husband to wife to son or daughter then on to grandchildren, or to brother and sister, aunts and uncles and numerous cousins – Scindia, Pilot, Deora, Dutt etc. were all examples of this and yes, the Gandhi family was the biggest.
Power within the Congress party had become concentrated in the hands of a few families and this narrowed the bench from which new and capable leaders could be drawn. The established political families became the sole breeding ground for harnessing and recruiting political leaders. The Congress party started following a system where kinship ties or proximity to the ruling power became the major criterion for the selection of candidates in a party slate. The people’s range of choices narrowed to those with the right surname or to those who had the historical advantage of incremental influence, network and resources afforded by their forebears’ long occupancy in office.
In the light of this, the embarrassing defeat (though well deserved) is not surprising at all. The party has suffered tremendously on account of the policy of promoting kinship within the party and in positions of governance.
There is another, more insidious aspect to political dynasties, which the country has seen through the Congress party, and it is this: the common or the national good takes a backseat to the priority of family interest.
Families being what they are, the radius of trust and loyalty rarely gets beyond the family to encompass national interest. This is exactly what was witnessed in India. The biggest loyalty test for a Congress leader was to acknowledge responsibility and accountability to the family. National interest had become subservient to family interest.
However, the Congress party did not realize that in reality, democracy and dynastic rule are contradictions which cannot co-exist. Democracy in the form of general elections ejects non-performers and that is what happened on May 16. The electorate today decisively dumped a party which had consigned the governance of this country to a handful of long-standing political families and had compromised the fortunes of a nation seeking to shoulder its way into global competitiveness.
But some Congressmen will always remain Congressmen – they were seen shouting slogans like – “Priyanka lao Congress Bachao”. The silly people do not realize that if they genuinely have to save the party the new slogan should be: “Rahul bhagao Congress bachao”
