Delhi: Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has sparked a fresh political storm with his strong criticism of dynastic politics in India, calling it a major threat to the country’s democratic fabric. In a hard-hitting piece for the international media platform Project Syndicate, Tharoor argued that India’s political system must prioritize merit and competence over family lineage.
He wrote that political leadership in India is too often decided by birthright rather than ability, dedication, or service to the people, warning that such a system erodes the quality of governance and weakens democracy.
While acknowledging that the Nehru-Gandhi family has long been associated with the Congress, Tharoor pointed out that dynastic politics cuts across party lines, including regional and national outfits. “It is high time India traded dynasty for meritocracy,” Tharoor declared, adding that such a shift would require sweeping political reforms — including term limits, internal party elections, and voter education to promote merit-based leadership.
His comments immediately drew reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which seized on the statement as a veiled reference to Rahul Gandhi. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla mocked Tharoor in a post on X, calling him “Khatron ke Khiladi” for daring to challenge the Congress’s first family.
“Dr Tharoor has directly called out the Nepo Kids and Nawabs of Nepotism. When I did it in 2017, I was targeted. Praying for you, sir — the First Family is very vengeful,” Poonawalla wrote.
