Fielding questions from C-level journalists while campaigning for Congress candidates, Priyanka Gandhi today said that she thinks that her brother Rahuls as-yet-unborn children will be fit to be PM, as and when they are born and grow up.
"I'm sure they would make great leaders even though they are not born yet. How do I know that? Well, the as-yet-unborn kids are the great-great-grandchildren of Jawaharlal Nehru, they are the great-grandchildren of Indira Gandhi and grandchildren of Rajiv Gandhi. What other qualifications do they need?". She added that "Our family's hold on Congress politics and the country is just like the duracell bunny. It goes on and on and on".
HRD minister Arjun Singh welcomed the statement. "This country runs in the right direction only if a scion of the Nehru Gandhi family is at the helm. The children of our future prime minister, Rahul Gandhi, are our future, twice removed".
However, party spokesperson, Abhishek Manusingvi, when asked the same question adamantly refused to answer it and said that "I don't answer hypothetical questions". This was right after the long answer he provided to a reporter who questioned him about the policies Congress party would follow if it won the elections.
Meanwhile, after holding a press conference about the party's unflinching support for Varun Gandhi, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said that "This is the difference between the BJP and the Congress. The Congress is all about dynasty, whereas we support no dynasty".
Even Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Karunanidhi chimed in. At a function to announce candidates for the coming elections, including his three children, he said that "Dynastic politics is like a termite which is destroying Indian politics. We should put an end to it and practice real intra-party democracy". Afterwards, in conversation with party workers, he alluded to the possibility of his son, Stalin, taking over the DMK by the next election.
Rahul Gandhi's as-yet-unborn children were unavailable for comment.
26 comments:
Sorry, but I just have to ask what the point of this post is/ was?
Well, since you asked, the point of the post was that (a) The congress party will never move out of the gandhi-or-die mindset, (b) and while the other parties purport to be above dynastic politics, they are doing the same, e.g. Varun Gandhi and (c) most of the regional parties are nothing but fiefdoms of particular families ..... and that most of our leaders are trying to emulate the North Korean "Dear Leader" concept.
Didn't that come across? :P ...
lol ... we suck as a democracy ..n the post was gud ..whatever its point
lol! he he, and OO, what if Rahul actually turns out to be Gay??? Quite a possibility since he's 34, charming yet single and his best friend is his sister... Not to forget he's got the Italian genes as well :)
and ya, this Manusinghvi guy, Goddd he speaks so much!
Hmnn, so does it become dynastic politics each time a relative enters (i) politics per se or (ii) the same political party as his relative(s)?
I'm also assuming you have some challenge with dynastic politics per se. If so, could I please understand what the problem is?
It could also be that u believe that we have some of the current young crop of political leaders more qualified and competent than Rahul Gandhi to become PM. If this is the case, please let us know who you have in mind.
Pls. Stray, you couldn't be suggesting thathe best we have today is Rahul Gandhi! I mean, honestly what Modi says about him is true. Let him run a Municipality first, then we'll speak about a country.
@Think Tank: Thanks ... :P ...
@Rakesh: That's true .. And I've heard that almost all Italian men are gay .. But I do remember reading that he has a girlfriend of Spanish origin. It seems that the fruit hasn't fallen far from the tree ... :P ... and yeah that manusinghvi guy is insufferable
@Stray: It becomes dynastic when the same family dominates a particular political party or region. From the Abduhllas in Kashmir, the Chautalas in Haryana, the Badals in Punjab, the Dikshits in Delhi, the Yadavs in UP, the Yadavs in Bihar, the Scindias in Rajasthan and Gwalior, the Dutts in Bombay, the Karunanidhis in tamil Nadu, the Gowdas in Karnataka and of course the Gandhis in both the Congress and the BJP.
So, yes, I have a beef with dynastic politics because it breeds sycophancy, idol worship and is one of the leading factors why our elections are not fought on issues.
Sure, as per the constitution, Rahul Gandhi is "qualified" to be PM. He's over 35, a citizen of India and an elected member of one of the houses. However, it takes more than that to be a good PM. I'm afraid that once he takes over, he'll be played by the Gandhi coterie in the Congress like his Dad was. I may be wrong, and for the sake of the country, I hope I am.
See, saying that a relative of a PM is fit to be PM just because they are related is like saying that a brain surgeon's wife is fit to be a brain surgeon herself.
And in answer to your last question, I don't believe that anyone from the current dispensation is qualified to be PM.
@Rakesh: Heh ... Although, I wouldn't like to live in a world where Mr Modi is right. :P . . .
okay, i typed out this really long comment (full of bullshit, but who cares!)..and then blogger gave this cheeky error..
Sorry, but we are unable to process your request.
What-to-do..
PS. howlarious post. But Rakesh's comment outdid it [:P]. "Gay?" That'll actually be good, no? India will become a liberal country (and all that jazz)
...All the Vanar-Senas will just scuttle off ! Yeay.
Seriously man I am sick of this dynasty business going on in the grand old party of India...one of the reasons why I would never vote for them...history has examples that whenever someone outside the Gandhi family has tried to shine, the party has pushed them into an abyss leading to obscurity...
I am so glad that Mayawati is not married and doesn't have children :D
@aryan: I hate it when that happens . . . Haha!! i wish turning our country liberal was that simple .. but yeah .. sounds like a plan .... :P ...
@IJD: Well, the leaders in the congress are bent over backwards trying to bow down to the queen ... :P ... not that the other parties are spared of the phenomenon .... all of them have their own sycophantus maximus ...
@Abhishek: Aren't we all? ... :P ...
correct me if i'm wrong, but...
Narendra Modi's single. Mayawati is too...And they're both eyeing the PM's seat.
Now imagine this. Polls over. hung Parliament. BJP is looking for allies. Narendra Modi is sent to receive Mayawati, and try to pursuade her to support the BJP. Impossible task, because BJP wants to keep Advani as the PM. But...Modi succeeds pursuading her, coz they end up falling in love, and decide to trot off on a honey-moon, and thus, forget about the PM's chair. And well, create companions for Rahul Gandhi's as-yet-unborn children [:P]
What-say, new dynasty in-the-making?
Modi & Mayawati? Arayans, this looks like a C-Grade porn movie plot with some 'Role playing'
lol...
@Aryan: Maybe both of them will adopt a cloned version of Varun Gandhi? Who knows? One thing is for sure if that happens, Rajdeep Sardesai will go on national television and say that "A week is very long in Indian Politics". That man will use that line for anything!!
@Rakesh: Heh ... :D ....
OO,
Guess the gay comment is true.
Journo to Priyanka: You have been talking a lot about Rahul getting married in your campaign speeches!
Priyanka:I was kidding!http://election.rediff.com/interview/2009/apr/20/loksabhapolls-i-will-never-join-politics-says-priyanka.htm
Sigh!
@Nikhil: Well, this begs the question, are we ready for a lesbian prime minister?
(yes, I made that mistake on purpose!)
OO
Ha ha, that will lead to Mayahem;)
-Nikhil
PS:You will need to foot my ophthalmologist's bill...the template makes it tuff to read
Mayhem, yes ;)
@Nikhil: Maya-hem? Got that!! :P ... and you know how hard it was to change the template? I ain't doing that again!!
A font color change is all what I am asking for, pliss!
-N
Like a "good politician", I shall promise to try . . . :P . . .
1. Makes one wish Sanjay Gandhi were alive (only for one reason)
2. Hard to read light font on dark b/g. Please to consider change. Not that it matters to you if people don't come back.
""country is just like the duracell bunny. It goes on and on and on""" Ha ha ha ha.. rofl !!
Awesome..
I guess, Karunanidhi was alluding to the fact that his sons are not his "biologic" dynasty! :P
"Comments too on this post were extremely interesting! Guess, any discussion of deviant forms of sexuality piques my perverse interests!" - Captain Obvious on discussions.
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