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The Debate

End of Gandhi dynasty? India opposition leader quits Congress Party leadership

Could it be the beginning of the end of family dynasties in politics? Rahul Gandhi, the son, grandson and great-grandson of Indian prime ministers has resigned from the leadership of the opposition Congress party. The 49-year-old failed to energise the base, lost his family seat in Uttar Pradesh state in the recent elections, and couldn't compete with incumbent Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi. We've talked about Modi's landslide, but how about Rahul's rout?


What will it take for the secular, left-leaning opposition to regroup when thumped by a BJP that campaigned not on the economy but on identity politics? Will Indian politics divide even further in the future along lines of religion, caste, and ethnic group? What prospects for the world's largest democracy?

And what next for family dynasties, not just in India but also in neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh? What does their staying power say about politics across the region?

Produced by Andrew HILLIAR, Juliette LAURAIN and Ingri BERGO

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