Only BJP And Communist Party Are Not Family Dominated: Karti Chidambaram To OneIndia In Exclusive Conversation

In an exclusive interview with Oneindia, Congress MP Karti Chidaram made a statement that surprised many. He noted that, unlike most political parties in India, the BJP and the Communist Party are not controlled by a single family.

"I mean, every political party, barring these two political parties, the fulcrum those political parties is some dominant family."

Karti elaborated that this trend isn't limited to India. He pointed out similar patterns in other South Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. In these nations, major political parties are also centred around influential families.

"So, every political party has a centrality of a family around which people congregate and the party functions. And that's the social reality of India. It's not unique to India alone. It's unique to Sri Lanka, the same in Bangladesh, and it's the same in Pakistan. If you go to Pakistan, the Pakistan People's Party is completely around the family of the Bhutto's. If you go to the other party, the Nawaz Sharif's party, it's dominated by their family. If you go to Sheikh Hasina or Khaleda Zia in Bangladesh, the families dominate the parties. If you go to Sri Lanka, it is either the Rajapaksas or the Kumaranatungas or the Bandaranaike's or the Jayamurendra Viksinghe, who is currently the president, is a nephew of JR Jayawardene."

Karti highlighted that this phenomenon extends beyond South Asia. He mentioned Japan as an example where 70% of members of parliament come from political families.

"So, this is not a unique situation for the Congress party or the DMK. This is what India is. This is what South Asia is. This is a sociological fact. That's what I'm stating."

He acknowledged that many people have strong emotional bonds with these families due to admiration and hero worship. These sentiments often lead to leadership roles being passed down within families.

"I'm not stating anything against the political party or for a political party. I completely understand the emotional bond which people have towards their love, affection, and admiration. Hero worship, whatever you might call it, towards families. And those families then perpetuate leaderships and political structures are built around those families. And that's the reality."

Karti also mentioned several Indian political parties dominated by families: National Conference and PDP in Kashmir; Akali Dal in Punjab; Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra; BJD in Odisha; TMC in Bengal; TDP and YSRCP; DMK; and JDS in Karnataka.

"Right from the National Conference, I mean, I mean, it's just the Congress gets a disproportionate amount of attention. Right from the National Conference in Kashmir or even the PDP in Kashmir or the Akali Dal in Punjab or the Shiv Sena or the NCP in Maharashtra, the BJD in Odisha, the TMC in Bengal, the TDP and YSRCP, the DMK, and then the one which is most family-dominated political party is JDS of Karnataka."

According to Karti Chidambaram's observations "it's not unique to India. It's a South Asian phenomenon."