BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a tour to Telangana in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections recently, inevitably drew strong rebuttal when he denounced ‘parivarvaad’ as a “peril to democracy”.
The remarks were not new, but it gained fresh perspective as political parties unveiled their choice of candidates for this month’s elections. For, when the dust settled, it was evident that
BJP, despite its vocal opposition to family-centric politics, was not immune to its allure, like
Congress and JD(S).
In
Karnataka, a microcosm of the nationwide trend, the three major political parties have collectively embraced ‘dynastic tradition’, fielding nearly two dozen candidates with close ties to influential political families. Sons, daughters, wives, sisters, brothers, and other relatives of prominent figures found themselves thrust into the political spotlight, regardless of party affiliation.
Deeply entrenched | “Dynastic politics in Karnataka is undeniable,” said MS Thimmappa, retired professor of psychology and VC of Bangalore University. “Efforts to uproot it have proven futile as these familial connections have been woven into the very fabric of our political system for generations.”
Prof Thimmappa said the issue goes beyond mere political manoeuvring. Dynastic figures have cultivated a network of engagement with the public, leveraging educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and cooperative societies to embed themselves within the community, he said.
“This familiarity often translates into unwavering support from the electorate,” he said.Staking its electoral fortunes on the bedrock of family legacies, Congress in Karnataka has nominated a significant number of candidates from influential political lineages. From the helm of All-India Congress Committee (AICC) to several state ministers and MLAs, the party has strategically positioned kin of seasoned politicians to vie for parliamentary seats. They include the offspring of six incumbent ministers and a former minister.
While defending the party’s choice of candidates, DK Shivakumar, state Congress president, em-phasised a shift towards youth, education, and gender inclusivity. “In my 40 years in politics, this is the first time that we have given so many tickets to young, educated, and female candidates. I am confident in their victory, and all of them will go on to become national leaders,” he said.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah too rejected claims of dynasty politics, saying, “Giving tickets to children or kin of ministers does not amount to dynasty politics. We have only acknowledged the opinions of voters.”
BJP & JD(S) too | The BJP-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka mirrors Congressin its embrace of dynastic politics, with figures from influential political families featuring prominently in the party’s candidate list. Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s son, BY Raghavendra, is set to contest from Shimoga, while former CM SR Bommai’s son, Basavaraj Bommai, also a former CM, is in the fray in Haveri.
In a surprise, BJP has also enlisted the candidature of Dr CN Manjunath, son-in-law of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in Bangalore Rural seat. BJP’s decision to replace incumbent parliamentarian GM Siddeshwara inDavanagere with his wife, Gayatri Siddeshwara, underscores the party’s familial inclinations.
Often criticised as ‘appa-makkala’ (father-sons) party, JD(S) continues to uphold its commitment to family politics. Former CM HD Kumaraswamy is contesting from Mandya, while his brother and former minister HD Revanna’s son, Prajwal Revanna, is seeking victory from the Hassan Lok Sabha seat.
Former BJP minister KS Eshwarappa has emerged a vocal critic of Karnataka BJP’s leadership, accusing it of succumbing to the allure of familial politics under the sway of Yediyurappa and his son, party president BY Vijayendra.
Paradox | But Eshwarappa’s criticism presents a paradox, given that his own dissatisfaction with BJP’s state leadership stems from the denial of the Haveri Lok Sabha ticket to his son, KE Kanthesh. Nevertheless, Eshwarappa is not alone in his discontent, as several others within BJP’s ranks harbour reservations of the prevalence of patriarchal politics.
Acknowledging the ideological discord within the party, a senior BJP functionary said: “While our PM is firm against ‘parivarvaad’, functionaries are yet to embrace this mindset. Consequently, a class struggle persists. Over the past five decades, certain families have entrenched themselves as lords of their constituencies, a notion deeply ingrained in the public psyche. Eradicating this entrenched system will require collective societal effort.”
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