The mother of all dynastic parties

The debate on dynasty politics has come a full circle with the BJP, the last of the fierce critics of the dynastic politics of the Congress, nominating chief minister’s BS Yeddyurappa’s son, BY Raghavendra’s from Shimoga constituency.

Congress leaders are elated that there is now irrefutable proof that dynastic politics has crept into every party.  “The dynasty politics that began from the times of the late prime minister Indira Gandhi was opposed by the BJP and others who even held protests. Finally they too have embraced the same brand of politics,” said the general secretary of KPCC M Ramachandrappa.

The smugness of the Congress is understandable. If any party can be called as the mother of dynastic politics, it is the Congress. The party’s promotion of Indira Gandhi has been emulated followed by the satraps in its Karnataka unit as well.

Almost every other chief minister from the days of Devaraj Urs has promoted his kin. Urs encouraged his son-in-law, MD Nataraj, dabble in the government affairs. His daughter, Chandraprabha, was elected as MLA and MP. Former chief minister S Nijalingappa’s son-in-law, MV Rajashekaran, was a Union minister till recently.

R Gundu Rao’s son, Dinesh, is a two-time MLA.S Bangarappa managed to get both his son, Kumar, elected as a Congress MLA, though he was not successful with his second son, Madhu, in BJP.

Another second generation politician, C Byre Gowda’s son, Krishna Byregowda, is now the president of the state unit of the Youth Congress.

“Lineage may give you the first break easily. But it ends at that. We have to then climb the ladder based on our skills and intelligence,” he says.

“Dynasty rule is dominant in business. You will find it in most other professions. So if we have a similar trend in politics it is nothing negative,” he argues.  But the political arena should not be completely owned by such politicians, he cautions. “It should be a decent blend.”