November 4, 2025: A major controversy erupted on Monday after the BJP seized on Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s remarks about ‘political dynasties’ and raked up a storm. At the centre of this row is an October 31 article on opinion portal Project Syndicate, written by Tharoor.
He spoke at length about how lineage-driven politics undermines the quality of governance. Tharoor’s remarks presented a major opportunity for the BJP, which claimed that the Congress leader had “directly attacked” what it called India’s “nepo kid” Rahul Gandhi and “chhota nepo kid” Tejashwi Yadav.
What Congress leaders said
While an official reaction from the Congress is awaited, some prominent party leaders shared their takes on Shashi Tharoor’s remarks.
When asked about Tharoor’s remarks, Congress leader Udit Raj said that a dynastic approach isn’t limited to politics and spreads across sectors in India. “A doctor’s son becomes a doctor, a businessman’s child continues in business, and politics is no exception. Also, if a politician has a criminal background, it reflects the reality of our society. Election tickets are often distributed along caste and family lines,” Raj was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He also named Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, among others, as he cited examples of a dynastic influence in politics. “From Naidu to Pawar, DMK to Mamata, Mayawati to Amit Shah’s son, there are many such examples. The loss is that opportunities remain confined to families alone,” he said.
Similarly, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also defended Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the Gandhis prominent in Indian politics, saying leadership comes from merit. “Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the most capable Prime Minister of this country… Indira Gandhi proved herself by sacrificing her life. Rajiv Gandhi served this country by sacrificing his life. So, if someone talks about the Gandhi family as a dynasty, then which other family in India had the sacrifice, dedication, and ability that this family possessed? Was it the BJP?” the Congress MP said.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi also weighed in, saying that leaders are voted to power in a democracy and no one can be stopped from entering politics over their family background. “The public makes the decisions in a democracy. You cannot impose a restriction that says you cannot contest elections because your father was an MP. This is happening in every field. What way will you find for this?” Alvi told ANI.
Nepotism, birthright mention in Tharoor’s article
At the centre of this latest political controversy is Shashi Tharoor’s plainspeak on the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, political leadership and birthright, and how “nepotism trumps meritocracy”.
“The influence of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, including independent India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and current opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – is bound up with the history of India’s struggle for freedom. But it has also cemented the idea that political leadership can be a birthright,” a part of Tharoor’s article on the opinion portal read.
He also weighed in on how nepotism stands to hurt governance. “When political power is determined by lineage, rather than ability, commitment, or grassroots engagement, the quality of governance suffers… it is especially problematic when candidates’ main qualification is their surname,” he further writes.
Congress’s internal rift with Tharoor was on display after he was selected by the government to lead the Operation Sindoor delegation, despite the party not recommending his inclusion. He was termed BJP’s “super spokesperson” by Udit Raj after Tharoor praised the 2015 Uri strike during his Panama leg.
Summary :
Senior Congress leaders defended Rahul Gandhi after Shashi Tharoor’s remarks, stating dynastic influence exists across Indian politics and emphasizing Rahul’s leadership role and grassroots connect within the party.