Abhishek Banerjee, a Member of Parliament better known as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew is not known for humour or wit. But he had the audience in splits at a recent event in Kolkata as he took on the Bharatiya Janata Party for its ‘double speaks’: “Aapke saath rahein to chamatkar, aapke bina rahein to balaatkar…aapke saath hon to Ramlila, aapke binaa hon to character dheela (in your company, it’s miracle but if it’s without you, it’s rape… with you it’s Ramlila, without you it’s loss of character)!”
He sounded familiar. Remember Arshad Warsi’s outburst in Ishqiya: “Tumhara ishq ishq, hamaara ishq sex (your love is love and my love is sex)!”
Warsi’s and Banerjee’s words rang in one’s ears as Jyotiraditya Scindia made a grand entry in the BJP last week. A chaiwalla’s party welcoming the high profile ‘Maharaj’ of Gwalior (‘Maharaj sahib’, to his personal staff). So, what happens to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet theme of dynastic politics?
Addressing a rally in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan in May last year, the prime minister had berated dynasts in every state, naming “the Scindia family” in Madhya Pradesh, Hoodas in Haryana, and Abdullahs in Kashmir, among others. “They try to suppress those who rose from poverty. They suppress the talent of deserving people. In the 21st century, how can these people lead the country? That is why when I question their dynastic politics…they feel bad. They are infuriated.”
Well, Scindia will soon be a Cabinet minister in Modi government— expectedly, the only one after Amit Shah, and probably S Jaishankar, to run his own ministry and not just append signatures on the files sent to him.
So, does Scindia’s entry in the BJP signal — or force — any change in Modi’s views on dynastic politics? The answer is yes and no.
Also read: Jyotiraditya didn’t want to become Rahul. He could’ve become Sachin. Will end up like Varun
Dynastic politics for Congress is realpolitik for BJP
Coming to the ‘no’ argument first. The BJP has been as dynastic as any other party. It’s just that when the opposition parties field a dynast in the election, BJP leaders project it as evidence of dynastic politics. But when the BJP does the same, it’s projected as realpolitik, a political masterstroke. IndiaSpend published an analysis of the dynasts in Indian politics last year. Among many interesting findings was the fact that since 1999, the Congress has had 36 “dynastic MPs” and the BJP 31.
To sustain Modi’s chaiwalla and anti-rich image, the BJP propaganda machinery would spin stories about how dynasts in the BJP were never promoted by the prime minister. Look at how then Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh’ son, a sitting MP then, was denied ticket by the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s son Dushyant Singh, a four-term MP, has been given no responsibility in the government or the party. Varun Gandhi, a three-time MP, has been left high and dry even as his mother, Maneka Gandhi, was dropped from the Cabinet in Modi’s second tenure. Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s son, B.Y. Raghavendra, an MP, has no friends in New Delhi BJP circles.
To be fair to the BJP’s propaganda machinery, all these examples are true. In fact, there are many, many more. But if one were to go into the real reason for their neglect, their being dynasts is certainly not the principal factor. They themselves or their parents happen to be on the wrong side of the BJP high command today. Those who are on the right side — say, Anurag Thakur, son of former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal—become ministers or get important organisational posts (Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president Poonam Mahajan, daughter of late Pramod Mahajan).
In fact, the BJP hasn’t been behind any other party in India when it comes to promoting dynastic politics. In the last Maharashtra assembly elections, one out of every five BJP candidates came from political families.
Also read: Why Scindia political dynasty is unique and what Jyotiraditya’s exit says for Congress
How Modi gets away
So, how is it that Prime Minister Modi keeps attacking dynasts? He knows his politics, better than you or I do. His anti-dynast rhetoric draws public traction, no matter how many dynasts the BJP fields. So how does it work for the BJP?
Well, Modi, can do no wrong for at least twenty-two crore people who voted for him last year. He has managed to personify dynastic politics in the Nehru-Gandhi family. Modi has used his hypnotic appeal to have people believe that Rahul Gandhi symbolises everything that is bad about dynastic politics—from winking in derision of a chaiwalla to wanting to beat the prime minister of India with a danda, someone who goes on foreign vacations, lacks an understanding of politics and governance, lacks common sense (“a tube light”), and is wanting in patriotism, and what not.
Also read: Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee — the crorepati MBA Amit Shah called ‘Bengal’s Rajkumar’
Scindia takes the sting out of Modi’s anti-dynastic politics
When the BJP released the names of its nominees for Rajya Sabha seats last week, Scindia’s name on it made headlines. Nobody seemed to even notice that another dynast, Udayanraje Bhosale of Satara, a descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji who faced charges of murder and extortion in the past also figured on the list. Or, for that matter, Indu Goswami from Himachal Pradesh for whose nomination the call came straight from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The backgrounds of an Udayanraje, a Brijendra Singh (son of Chaudhury Birendra Singh, a Cabinet minister in NDA I), or a Dushyant Singh might be of little interest to anyone beyond Satara, Hisar and Jhalawar. Because, to repeat, Narendra Modi has got them to believe that Rahul Gandhi is the ‘Only Real Dynast’ ailing the country’s politics.
But Scindia’s entry will change it all. He is not a constituency-only leader. He is a national face, someone people acknowledged as No3 in the Congress after Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Scindia and Rahul Gandhi wearing the same-colour Burberry quilted jackets on white kurta-pyjama and walking side by side; Scindia sitting on top of vehicles right beside Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Vadra during roadshows; and Scindia and Gandhi engaged in intense discussions in the Lok Sabha are images that wouldn’t soon fade away from the public memory.
Since entering politics 18 years ago, Scindia has been seen as part of an extended Nehru-Gandhi family. From now on, every time Modi talks about dynastic politics and Rahul Gandhi, Scindia’s image would inevitably come in people’s minds. A brilliant administrator and politician with great oratorical skill, Scindia will continue to be all over TV and in newspaper headlines in the coming months and years.
Rahul Gandhi should be thankful to him. His friend has finally taken the sting out of Modi’s anti-dynast politics.
Shehzade was the used pet word!
1- Jyotiraditya entered politics because his father died. His father entered politics because his grandmother, a serving MP, asked him to (although he later switched parties). His grandmother became a politician because the Scindia family, an erstwhile royal family, wanted a representative in Lok Sabha. If this is not dynasty politics, what is it?
2- Some people are saying that unlike RG, Jyotiraditya has toiled hard for 18 years in the sun. I fail to see the effect of this toil on his face or in Congress fortunes. Was it because of the toil that he lost from the family borough from Guna, something that his father won in 1977 and he in 2014.
3- BJP does not need any help to win lok sabha elections. Its problem is assembly elections. Here I doubt if Jyotiraditya can be of much help as reverence for royals has thankfully evaporated, as indicated in last Lok Sabha elections. He has a short-term use in dethroning the current Congress government and has been given some rewards for the same. Once Shivraj Chouhan becomes CM, I feel Scindia would be sidelined within the BJP. I see no problem with such actions.
One glaring miss in this article is dynastic with competence and competition to the top vs entitlement. Former is much better which is followed by BJP. Have see political dynasts have faded with time. Only competition keeps fittest get going. In congress for sake of top post other tallest trees have to trimmed. It will continue as long as Rahul or Priyanka becomes the formidable tall.
BJP is not like Nehru family party. So even if gymnasts are there, they will abide by the Party’s law book. None need worry about PM Modiji. He knows how to Rule !
These events also indicate that there is no place for Hindus in the Congress Party except as Dhimmis to the Muslim street and the Communist/Christian puppet masters. All Hindus should leave Congress (S). Indian National Congress died with Kesari pounding his fists against a bathroom door.
There is no criticism in India about scindia, don’t create hypothetical opinion by this type of article
It is very unfortunate that such people who writes against biased observation inorder to instablise this country.
Always take the things in the positive prospective.
It is baseless. As such there is a lot of respect for Late Mrs. Vijayaraje Scindia who was the one of the strong pillars of the party. Who even went against his son & campaigned for Atal Ji when he contested against Madhav rao Scindia.
So author can rest assure that in this case what he expected does not happen. But note that his entry into the party as a strong one as he is bringing 22 MLAs along with him, 6 of them is Ministers it proves that he has a broad base of supporters not only at his constituency but with its surrounding ones. No heartburn in the party or leadership
He can be groomed to take much responsibility. Leader like Shivraj & other Sr.leaders can take him to confidence & groom him. Let them not make the same mistake of Kamalnath who was adamant to hear him & so arrogant & refuse to oblige him on simple request. Even Digvijay has come down little & insisted him to pacify in some manner at least honor his simple request pertaining to Bureaucracy. But Kamalnath who is at the edge, say fag end of his political career has to face such situation not only bringing his govt.down but a massive reaction from the Congress Party as a whole, where the youngsters has gathered a momentum & party made to take note of them or else?
What crap of an article, boot licking at its epitome.
Who are these idiots writing such biased articles?
No wonder there is a lobby having other plans.. I thought it only happened in serials or dramas..
Keep entertaining with such posts..
Brainless paid BJP trolls rant. Please ignore.
Bhaktas have nonsensical perspective of everything. If Scindia is not a dynast, who is?
Had he not belonged to Royal Family and borne with a silver spoon would he be enjoying the privileges .
Irrespective of which party he is in, he will continue to rule, because he always has a ready constituency of slaves like us!
The arguments presented by the writer of this piece are really weak.
Politics is about managing contradictions , even as grave as constantly harping about dynasty with Scindia scam or harping about anti corruption and making ajit pawar deputy CM and so on. It requires immense talent to do this sort of a thing , those who have it become CM ( like nitish Kumar) or PM & deservedly so.
Thos journalist DK is like DK Bose. He is writing imaginary things. Just wait and see how much it helps BJP
The truth is that fake Gandhi’s are the most hated despised incompetent corrupt and traitorous things in India and will be hanged by the people. Soon.
Who cares?
Its 2020 now. All have come to know that indra gandi congress is anti hindu.
It does muslim appeasement.
Ignores majority community.
Vote bank politics.
Its corrupt to the core.
It wont change gandhis. So no votes.
Its antinational to the core.
Bjp isse to achi hi hai.
Stop such articles. People these days know an inch of truth how congress did corruption. How sardar manmohan singh choked economy. How raj babbar said u can eat lunch for 5 rs. How maharashtra cm and congress was busy shooting mumbai 26/11 attacks venue.
How pappu speaks lies to the core. How pappi ate 2 crore from yes bank owner.
Even if scindia has joined bjp, Modi is nationalist. Honest and trying hard to change country. For this even if he has to take help of scindia who cares?
So please dont waste time. People these days are very smart.
Brainless paid BJP trolls rant. Please ignore.
Being paid for terror activities by ur community heads is fine according to ur pappus… Instead , for proud bjp bhakts being a paid troll is happy than anything who loves recieveing love from his nation as a remunaration for trolling terrorist supporters .
The author conveniently overlooks the elephant in the room viz only a Gandhi can head the Congess party. Even if some parties host dynasts, none of them reserves the top post only for one family or surname. Also Modi gets away with his dynast jibes because he isn’t one himself.
talented has dynasty. Every dynast not necessarily talented.
Sometimes I feel that writing such an article requires lots commitment. The commitment here is to the core. Comparing Rahul and Scindia as dynast. Scindia is really from Maharaja family, no doubt. Any questions on that? Yes, his family from his grand mother, father, aunts… everyone in politics, on their own, not because they are from Royal family. On the other hand, Rahul is politics because of his mom. He is politics because he was son of former PM, grand-son of former PM, great-grand-son of former PM. On his own, he was not in any position, not even handling any ministry or office. Of course, he does spend lots of time with his dog and frequent vipasana visits abroad. Any other contribution from Rahul? The more such writings come, which is blatantly visible as sponsored, the more the hate for congress to continue. Rahul will never, ever come on his own. Nor his sister.
As rightly pointed out, Modi’s rhetoric against dynastic politics is just lip service.. look who’s in the BCCI secretary’s chair!!
For bhakts, its difficult one for sure. Defend an out and out dynast like Scindia and hold him as a kaamdaar, while at the same time lambaste Rahul Gandhi for being a naamdar. However they’ve learnt the lessons in hypocrisy from the best in business.
I couldn’t understand what you really want to say
To comprehend it one needs some amount of intelligence, WhatsApp University graduate will definitely find it tough to understand.
You are absolutely right.A dynast will always be a dynast in whichever party he is.
You are absolutely right.Merely by changing party is nothing but opportunism.
Since when has BCCI secretary’s chair been reserved for only one family or one surname.
Who cares?
Its 2020 now. All have come to know that indra gandi congress is anti hindu.
It does muslim appeasement.
Ignores majority community.
Vote bank politics.
Its corrupt to the core.
It wont change gandhis. So no votes.
Its antinational to the core.
Bjp isse to achi hi hai.
Stop such articles. People these days know an inch of truth how congress did corruption. How sardar manmohan singh choked economy. How raj babbar said u can eat lunch for 5 rs. How maharashtra cm and congress was busy shooting mumbai 26/11 attacks venue.
How pappu speaks lies to the core. How pappi ate 2 crore from yes bank owner.
Even if scindia has joined bjp, Modi is nationalist. Honest and trying hard to change country. For this even if he has to take help of scindia who cares?
So please dont waste time. People these days are very smart.
To be perfectly honest, all this anti rich and anti dynasty rhetoric is not resonating at all now. Each political party – barring the Left – for that matter even the BCCI, is upto its gills with not so young inheritors. It is not as if the industrialists, along with their sheafs of Electoral bonds, are not welcome. All over the world, challengers promise to come to a Washington and drain the swamp. Once elected, people expect them to settle down to productive work. What should now concern, even worry, the incumbent is the record of actual delivery and achievements. Getting beyond the capacity of the IT cell to defend. The global media has been telling it like it is right from the start. Even the domestic media, barring those who are hopelessly committed and compromised, is turning sceptical.
Looks like this article is written by a congress mouthpiece. “Or, for that matter, Indu Goswami from Himachal Pradesh for whose nomination the call came straight from the Prime Minister’s Office.” How does this writer know this? Or, is it a wild allegation, either sticks or falls?
How do you know it has not come from PMO. BJP’s double has been exposed, let’s accept that. As for as Congress why should we care when they are no longer in political arena
The writer can spin his own narrative to give a false feeling of comfort to the Congress. D K Singh must do his job assigned to him the Congress mouthpiece Shekhar Gupta. Last week Shekhar Gupta, in his usual I now all kind of narration was saying that Rahul is not a failure since he won 21 seats for congress in UP election in 2009. When we have journalist of this depth what can we expect from whom they employ. They are supposed to follow their masters voice. People of this country know we’ll that the term dynast was referred to sarcastically for Rahul Gandhi as he is the only person who counts in the Congress. He is seen as an entitled, lazy, oft vacationing, short of intellect kind of politician who is where he is today because he comes from a fmily who think they are born to rule….and loot the nation too.. To equate Scindia who has toiled for 18 years in the heat and dust of politics, with a failed dynast like Rahul and other is deliberately missing the point. In the process the writer contributes his little bit in the sea of mediamen who look upto and defend the Gandhi family in one way or the other and play down the serious shortcomings of that family.