India's ruling Congress Party caught in Nepotism charges

by Sanjay Jha | November 11, 2008 at 02:42 am

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India's ruling Congress party is embroiled in fresh controversy after one of its senior party leader Magaret Alva alleged sale of party nominations in recent assembly polls in the souther Indian state of Karnataka. Her statement created a flutter in India's oldest party and she has been forced to resign from party posts today after appearing before the party’s Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC).

Her remarks about the sale of tickets and the overall question of the role of family have sparked quite a debate in the Congress and in other parties in India. Nepotism is not a new phenomena in Indian politics.

He was reacting to reports of her resignation in the wake of her meeting with Disciplinary Action Committee Chairman AK Antony last night, followed with a call on party President Sonia Gandhi when she offered to resign as General Secretary.

Moily said Alva is a member of the highest bodies of the party, including the CWC and AICC, and there is a breach of displine by her statement that tickets were sold in Karnataka assembly elections earlier this year.

"She is raising an issue that happened six months ago," he said, terming it as unfortunate and one that was not done by a leader of her stature.

Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Gandhi dynasty also lambasted her for making such allegation. He lashed out at senior leader Margaret Alva accusing her of serious breach of discipline and said her allegations were motivated by the fact that her son was denied assembly election ticket.

"I am not unhappy with the way tickets have been given," (in the assembly elections) he told reporters in brief remarks.

He was asked about Alva's attack on the party that tickets were sold during the Karnataka assembly elections and her questioning the denial of ticket to her son Nivedit in the elections.

The World's largest democracy acutely suffers from nepotism and is gradually slipping towards 'hereditary democracy'. The conspicuous feature of this 'hereditary democracy' is the planned upbringing by the political leaders of their wards as the political heirs or heir-apparent to the higher posts in politics.Starting with Gandhi dynasty, leaders from federal to provincial level are involved in promoting their offspring.