DNA EDIT: Dynasty rules

Sonia Gandhi has completed 15 years as president of the Indian National Congress, having served much longer than any previous president. Her current term ends in 2015, giving her two more years at the helm.

Her presidentship continues the Nehru-Gandhi’s continuing grip over the Congress. This dynasty has helmed the party for 38 of its 128 years, including 32 post-independence years (Motilal Nehru, two years in two stints; Jawaharlal Nehru, eight years in three stints;
Indira Gandhi, seven years in two stints; and Rajiv Gandhi, six continuous years). In the last 35 years alone, a member of this dynasty has been president for an amazing 27 years.

Now that Rahul Gandhi has been appointed party vice-president, it is most likely that he might succeed his mother as president.

Of course, numbers by themselves don’t mean much. Sonia Gandhi’s exalted position stems from her ability to keep together the fractious Congress party and for having led it to victory twice in the 2004 and 2009 elections. Despite numerous scams, rising prices, economic recession and a resurgent opposition, there are many willing to bet that Sonia Gandhi might just lead the Congress to pull off a hat-trick in 2014.

The thing about family-led parties, is that it puts loyalty to the dynasty at a premium over ability to rule. Few will deny that such a situation cannot bode well for India, or for democracy, in the long run.