New Delhi, 12 September: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi spoke about a range of issues in an address in the US on Tuesday, but what he said about ‘dynastic succession’, by invoking actor Abhishek Bachchan and industrialist Mukesh Ambani, was particularly noteworthy and brought to mind of a recent ‘nepotism’ controversy in the Hindi film industry. When asked about criticism of ‘dynastic succession, after he spoke at the University of California, Berkeley, Rahul did call it a “problem” but added that is the way “most of the country runs”.
“It’s a problem in all political parties in India. Most of the country runs like this, so don’t go after me, Akhilesh Yadav a dynast, Mr. Stalin a dynast, Mr (Prem Kumar) Dhumal’s son a dynast, so don’t just go after me…Even Mr. Abhishek Bachchan is a dynast, also Mr. Ambani, that’s what happens in India.”
Rahul was referring to SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Akhilesh, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi’s son Stalin, senior BJP leader Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s son Abhishek and Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani’s son, either Mukesh or Anil.
In this context, he indicated he’s ready to take over the reins of the Congress, but made sure to add that only “organisational elections” in the party would determine that.