dynasty?

maree

I'm not knocking the Congress party and applaud their upset win but I don't get this whole Nehru/Gandhi dynasty thing.

Why does this family still hold such fascination in the eyes of the Indian public (and I seem to recall Indira did some pretty atrocious gives while in office)? What gives them the unassailable right to govern? I'm sure there are Congress members far more capable of heading the Government than Sonia Gandhi (mmmm... possible parallels with the "Bush dynasty" here?

Interested in opinions... particularly from our Indian members.

sudheer poppa

Excellent question! for which I am in no way an authority to speak of… Still these are some of the rambling thoughts that come to mind.

1) Most of India’s rural poor have extremely limited knowledge of things happening beyond their village. But they all know about Nehru/Gandhi/Congress plus the freedom struggle. Congress at grass root level cannot risk breaking this linkage as they have only gains with this association.
2) Added to point one is the illiteracy and lack of knowledge on central matters. Hence, rural poor prefer the trusted brand. Like a traveler going for coke in India instead of trying lassi.
3) Congress is a fairly disgruntled and federal party with too many leaders wanting too many things (of their own). Given a chance to go in their whims, they very well know that there shall be no existence to them or the party. Hence the Gandhi clan is the loose thread, which binds the congress galaxy (of self styled stars) together. "I will go by what Sonia says" is the favorite statement of all diffident congress leaders. Not for any leadership skill of Sonia, but for themselves to look like a good party worker rather than as a dissident.
4) The well educated Indian youth in the middle class have associated this clan iconoclasm, with what we have in US (Kennedy’s) or UK's royalty. For them, it’s all a question of why not, rather than why!
5) Finally as of today, Congress is the only national party which can claim a good deal of identity in any part of the country and it has to depend on the clan identity (as most of its leaders are regional leaders) to retain its national visibility.

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maree

Thanks for that, sudheer.

guerik

I'm glad someone else asked that, I've been wondering too

Thanks maree for your question and sudheer for the answer!

Beggarhere

VANDEMATAROME!! is a p****take on the outgoing party's alleged nationalist warcry Vandemataram...where Rome obviously refers to SGandhi.

The previous posters are correct, in that Indian politics follow an American "star struck" mentality amongst the populace. This "Brand Equity" is further re-inforced by the Mass media (TV in particular).

Apart from political apathy for most Indians (after all the economic policies are unlikely to be any different), the only regret of xenophobic Indians, is that if a "foreignor" was going to rule, why not an accomplished one like Bill Clinton or Jack Welch...is a grocers daughter and housewife to a famously corrupt and corrupting family the best Indians deserve??

Interestingly, Mahatma Gandhi had clearly DIRECTED that the Congress party be DISBANDED after the goal of independance was realised in 1947...guess he did not figure upon the political savvy of the Spin Doctors who saw a "coca cola" branding opportunity to ensure advantage in this profession which has been famously and accurately described as "The LAST refuge of scoundrels"...and boy do we have many many of those everywhere!!

maree

Margaret Thatcher was a grocer's daughter too, I think. God help India if Sonia is anything like that!

steven_ber

As soon as I saw the grocer's daughter comment by Beggarhere I knew what would happen.

Maggie won every General Election she stood for, enough said.

Now we should concentrate on Sonia.

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Beggarhere

I have no issues with Grocers or their daughters..heaven knows, there is a serious shortage of grocers who sell unsweetened bread in India..or indeed a nice/wide range of Italian foods & breads in delhi..yeah, INA market , Khan mkt..etc exist..but they have patchy stocks..etc.

Anyhow, my point is that India requires better educated, result proven leaders..even her son could be better in the long run. Politics worldwide are a matter of non-meritocracy, where the incumbent advantage is so great, that dynastic rule seems to perpetuate..Bush, kennedys..and to an even greater extent in India, where votes are given for ignorance/iconic/communal reasons.

Maggie was a phenomena, but did not last as long as the rock star Madonna because she failed to be as relevant (guess she shoulda taken up power yoga).

sorry..now am too bored by this..so will shut up...

pooch

Sonia's folks back home near Turin actually have something to do with tiles.
I think the lady should be given a chance especially if you consider that it will be her young Indian kids giving her direction considerably.