India's election

Congress's great dynastic hope

Rahul Gandhi, progeny of prime ministers, kicks off his campaign for India’s general election

See article

Readers' comments




A movement like Falun Gong would certainly anger Hindus as can be seen by Hindus' hatred against so-called Maoists.


Hindus in India are paranoid and enjoy bullying other religious groups around. If they some christian wearing a cross, they will go and beat him into a bloody pulp.



You make many interesting points. Political analysis has more depth to it than many may have imagined.

1) Your analysis shows that for the poor and formerly neglected groups, democracy provides a tried, tested, peaceful alternative to violent revolution of the type China and Russia have experienced. But every individual of whatever caste or religion needs to utilise all legitimate opportunities, instead of covering himself or herself in 'victimhood'. You may have observed this yourself.

2) Whatever may have been the case in the past, today, in India, wealth and caste-status do NOT go together. It is not just the "creamy layer" of Dalits, I am pointing to. Numerous Dalits in the Metros and in many smaller towns of India are well represented amongst the wealthy and influential sections.

3) The old caste-hierarchy may NOT be wholly relevant any longer. We need to recognise a new upper caste - I call it the 'Political Caste'. I say that this new upper caste has more wealth and more influence than any of the traditional upper castes ever managed to gather at any state of Indian history. Getting the first Blessing in a Temple, a privilege claimed by upper castes in the past, pales into insignificance in the light of the comprehensive claims made by this new upper caste upon India's resources.
4) I remind readers that some of Asia's richest families belong to this 'new' upper caste. The monies they hold in SWISS BANK accounts is more than the total of India's annual budget.
5) We can make some educated guesses as to which politicians and their family members may be holding these Swiss Bank accounts. They are from intermediate castes - NOT upper castes, as far as the two southern states (since you are from TamilNadu) I am thinking of.

But I agree with you that electoral behaviour is still conditioned by caste considerations. I do not like it but I have to accept that as fact.


There is a clear social churning in India for better but Congress by its very nature stood against it.Whether we like it or not India is made up of different Ethinic and Nationalities which is a big strength to India unline China.Congress never recognised the ethinic aspirations or regions by treating the local popular leader disparagingly.I am from Tamil Nadu where we had a honest and good Congress leader and Chief Minister in Kamaraj.He and most of his ministerial colleagues were untouched by corruption eventhough their contemporaries were in the rest of country and congress were corrupt.Eventhough he governed the Country fifty years ago people of Tamil Nadu remember him fondly and mention of his name catch their imagination.But he was sidelined by Indira and her coterie because he adopted Congress policies with the local requirements and he blended Periyar's Dravidian Movement policies with the Congress principles and ushered in era of learning, social mobility and prosperity.But because of the failed policy of Hindi imposition of Congress after Kamaraj Congress came to see as a North Indian party.Indira Gandhi never allowed the local regional leaders to grow.Every part of India has its won political culture and aspirations.Till now, Congress political culture and management never reflected this reality.They try to control every state Congress from Centre by appointing high command overseer who are not from that region or state and they are like old Roman Governors and they always try to impose Congress high command wishes.That's why people stick with the regional parties eventhough they are corrupt.Unless Congress allowed its organisation to grow according to the multipolarity of India there is no hope for Congress. Gone are the days when it was "India is Indira and Indira is India".If Rahul wants to revive and build Congress as a pan Indian country he need not go very far if he can adopt the policy and political culture opposite to that of his Grandma, Indira the Congress's fortune will prosper well.


From my previous comment it is clear how the congress lost the political space in UP and Bihar(which accounts for 120 of 534 seats). Even BJP losing its space because it is support base is numerically small Upper ruling Castes. Now it is the fight between Dalits and Intermediate castes and the Upper Castes are accosted into one party or the other.In UP, upper caste Brahmins are with Dalit's BSP and Thakurs are with Yadav's SP.The same is the case with Bihar.I take strong exception to this article's perception that the lower caste are voting for their fellow caste men for patronage.No they are voting for their fellow caste men for self-respect and to end the upper caste hegemony.They never failed to vote out their fellow caste men.Lallu Yadav was defeated in the Yadav stronghold of Madhepura.What I see their is a strong desire from the people in the bottom of hirearchy to improve their lives and make life better for their Children which is good for the country.This in essence never captured by Congress and BJP who are so indifferent to the aspirations of the lower caste.This is where Rahul have to start.For example let him have a hard-look on the highest decision making body of Congress, CWC which are all made up of Upper Caste, octagenerian leaders who can't even elect to Municipal Council on their own.Let us see why Congress lost most of the ground in other parts of India.First for the convenience of ruling (not governing please mind the difference), the ruling classes of India tend to believe India as a homogeneous entity and try to impose policies and politics based on that belief.As a party of the ruling class Congress try to impose one-size-fits-all culture of politics which contributes to its decline.


This article doesn't even try to manage to scratch the real cause of the problem.Congress is responsible for its own decline and demise.After Nehru, Indira Gandhi started to treat Congress and to a larger extent the country as her personal property.She alienated most of the honest senior leaders, for example Kamaraj of Tamil Nadu.Most of the leaders in the Opposition Space and also in allies list are the products of Emergency.Secondly, Congress leadership is made up of Upper Caste, Urban leaders who are close to the people as British close to Indian masses when they ruled India.Yet most downtrodden people paricularly Dalits and Muslims in North India (Muslims in South India are relatively prosperous and are untouched by the tragedy of Partition) have voted for Congress for decades but there was no discernible improvement in their lives while the intermediate castes have moved away from congress long back in 1967.Congress could not even guarentee the safety of their lives.In the Hindi heartland, worst of the communal clashes and the atrocities against Dalits occurred under Congress watch.Muslims joined with intermediate castes like Yadavs in UP and Bihar while Dalits formed their own party and found their own leaders like BSP and Mayawati in UP, and LJP and Ram Vilas Paswan in Bihar and some of the Dalits and lower intermediate castes jined Muslims and Yadavs. Interestingly the upper castes (who are the real rulers in rural villages of North India) and urban upper Middle Classes dumped Congress from which they benefitted most for BJP because Congress could not be able to attract the votes from the other section to make them enjoy the fruits of power dispropitonately.Remember Congress is the property which introduced Economic Liberalisation which benefitted the Upper Castes and the Urban Middle Classes.On the other hand Congress falied to gain the confidence of the poors and during Congress regime Babri Masjid demolished and BJP prospered.The so-called Caste Based parties stood upto the BJP.


Dear All,

If you have objections to the quote and feel that there is no evidence for the quote 'cut their throats after elections" please check this link

Though Varun gandhi is claiming that the CD is doctored but you cant say that there is no evidence of him saying that he will 'cut their throats after elections'. In this above mentioned youtube video we can clearly hear he says Yeh panjaa nahii hai, yeh kamal kaa haath hai. Yeh Kat*** ke gale ko Kaat degaa chunaav ke baad. [This is not the (Congress symbol) ‘hand’, this is the hand of the ‘lotus’ (BJP's symbol). It will cut the throat of the (Katua (-circumcised) - derogatory expletive for Muslims ) after the elections.

I am also proividing another link in which you will get his explanation. ttp://


@ Kafir

If your point is that Congress has its rotten apples, then we are in agreement. Yes it does. I am not 'frothing in favour of Congress" and have no problem accepting its many defects. If you want to campaign for Vibahadur Singh to be prosecuted, I shall join you without compunction. My heart beats for India (which is more than the sum of its Hindu components). Yours beats for Hindutva - and by that lets be clear, we are talking about a Hindu theocracy as end state, no less. That is why to me, you are no better than the Madrasa brainwashed fanatic whose primary loyalty is to jihad before all else. Hindu, Muslim what do those distinctions matter? What matters is your shared support for butchery masquerading as principle - you and jihadis are soulmates marching against decency, humanity and modernity.


i can give you 1000. whats the big deal?

you missing the point by taking small, tiny organizations like the Sri Ram Sena as the representatives. if they were, you'd know! trust me :-)

forget 3 reasons. read up a bit on the issues first. or rather, tell me 3 ways in which they are similar!


@Hindu Kafir

You have completly become blind in Hindutva.. Can you show me one Hindu politician, who is not corrupt and following hindu principles??? You can find countless in muslim and christianity leadres across world.. In a sense you are correct when you say " Hinduism is keeping India united". Coz the other religions donot have anything to say in Hindu-dominated country..


As long as we allow our politicians to seek vote on the basis of religion/caste, we cannot expect a better govt to come into power....

A politician should be elected based on his merrit, not on basis of how much anger/hatredness he displays against one community...
Do you think only dalits are surrendering to christian values??? I have thousands of illustrations wherein other castes like Brahmins, Lingayats,vokkaligas including muslims embracing christianity.


Varun Gadhi is a Hero.

This election was supposed to be the coming of age of Rahul Gandhi, with the entire congress machinery and muscle power behind him. One 29 year lad who lost his father when he was 3 months old and then thrown out of his own house (because his mom would not part with the swiss bank accounts) has managed to hijack the entire elections is a commendable task.

Let people decide in a months time and vote him to power


Dooky:The death sentence was awarded to those involved in milk adulterant incident is because they harmed the lives of innocent infants.
So going by those lines, who was awarded death sentence in the Tiananmen Square massacre, Tibet conflict in 2008 and although not fatal in the case of Fisher Price tools glazed with Lead.


Dear Friends,

Some of the readers of this article have reacted very strongly against the positive bias shown by the journalist towards Congress, the journos apathy towards serious social issues in India and instead focus of non-issues, positive attitude towards nepotism in Indian politics and so on and so forth.. All seems rational and logical.. But can we ask Economist which is primarily a western media (with all its rhetoric against developing economies)to report on serious issues concerning India or any other developing economy or for that matter a non-white state.. Thats day dreaming guys.. also why should Economist talk about these issues when our own media is not really concerned.. Can we expect these goras to go the crux of the matter and find out the truth when our so called elite English media blows every non issue out of proposition in order to attract eyeballs and create noise.. So chill.. enjoy this article.. it is atleast lucidly written and in better English than what we get to hear on some of the elite Indian newschannels.. On top of that you dont have to bear chest beating, always shouting and melodramatic news reporters...

Hari.K. Sharma

Well young Gandhi's plans about the party are quite ambitious but it is an established fact of Congress history that no one could reach the top spot if he has no strong family background. He himself is a product of family hierarchy otherwise it would be nearly an impossible task for a person of his age to even think about of becoming Prime Minister as a Congress candidate. But at least he has some plans. In order to strengthen his roots among the general masses he opted for the Gandhiyan strategy to understand India by visiting and meeting people from all corners of the country. He wants to become the leader of the masses as Gandhi and Nahru were in the pre-independence period. India needs such young and energetic leaders in the 21st century. Let's see how much success he will get........



Products and events


Take our weekly news quiz to stay on top of the headlines

