Dynasty's Next: Raihan Rajiv Vadra Waits In The Wings

Another video from Rahul Gandhi has surfaced, ostensibly showing him connecting with the common people of India, particularly the labour class. The video, uploaded on his social media handle, captures him interacting with workers painting walls at 10, Janpath bungalow, the Gandhi family’s residence for 35 years. Such attempts at displaying solidarity with common citizens have of late become a recurring theme in his political narrative.

However, what caught media attention was his conversation with nephew Raihan Vadra, son of his younger sister Priyanka Gandhi. Since then, speculation has been rife about this being a soft launch of Raihan as a prospective sixth-generation politician from the Nehru-Gandhi family. The timing of this appearance, alongside his uncle in what seems to be a carefully choreographed interaction, has set political circles abuzz with discussions about dynastic succession in India’s grand old party.

With Rahul Gandhi, now 54 and single with no marriage on the horizon, political circles have been debating intensely about who would carry forward the famed family’s political legacy after the siblings Rahul and Priyanka. The focus has increasingly been on Raihan, especially after his name was increased some time back to include his maternal grandfather’s, now reading as Raihan Rajiv Vadra. This name change, far from being a mere formality, carries significant political weight in a country where dynastic politics continues to play a crucial role.

The UK-educated youngster, now a professional photographer, possesses the requisite qualifications for politics. Beyond lineage, he shares a trait with his grandfather and uncle — both Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul were perceived as shy, reluctant entrants into politics. But Gandhis don’t merely join politics as ordinary members. The family’s entry into active politics has always been marked by immediate elevation to positions of power. Rajiv Gandhi and his children Rahul and Priyanka were handed prime responsibilities from day one, while Sonia Gandhi waited briefly before family loyalists removed the elected president Sitaram Kesri to install her as Congress president in 1998.

At 24, Raihan is just shy of the election eligibility age. While Rajiv Gandhi was 37, Sonia 50, Rahul 34 and Priyanka 47 when they entered politics, political exigency might accelerate Raihan’s entry, allowing adequate grooming time. The current political climate, with Congress seeking to rejuvenate its appeal among younger voters, might provide the perfect launching pad for the next generation of the dynasty.

The Amethi Lok Sabha seat awaits him, possibly for the 2029 elections. Congress reclaimed this seat earlier this year after a five-year hiatus following Rahul Gandhi’s unexpected defeat from the family bastion — a setback that had sent shockwaves through the party. Family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma currently holds the seat – reminiscent of how Capt. Satish Sharma once kept it warm for the family. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi represents the neighbouring constituency Rae Bareli, and Priyanka makes her electoral debut from Kerala’s Wayanad on November 13.

If it materialises, Raihan would become the 10th member of the Nehru-Gandhi family. The family’s Congress reign began when Jawaharlal Nehru succeeded his father Motilal Nehru as Congress president in 1929 at the Lahore session. Motilal Nehru led the party for two years across two stints, establishing the foundation of what would become India’s most powerful political dynasty. Jawaharlal Nehru held the presidency nine times between 1929 and 1954 when internal elections were annual — a practice that gradually diminished as the family’s grip on the party strengthened.

The succession continued with Indira Gandhi serving thrice as Congress president over seven years, implementing significant changes that centralised power within the party around her. Rajiv Gandhi led for six years between his mother’s assassination and his own in 1991. Sonia Gandhi set an unbreakable record of 22 years (1998-2017 and 2019-2022) before handing over the party to Rahul Gandhi, who quit after two years following the 2019 electoral debacle. Priyanka Gandhi is expected to replace current president Mallikarjun Kharge before the 2029 polls, maintaining the family’s control over the party machinery.

Two other influential family members who served as MPs without becoming Congress president were Jawaharlal’s sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit and Indira Gandhi’s younger son Sanjay Gandhi, whose tragic plane crash pushed Rajiv Gandhi into politics. This excludes Feroze Gandhi, a politician in his own right, and Arun Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi’s second cousin.

Speculation suggests Raihan’s name might eventually become Raihan Rajiv Gandhi Vadra, following a well-established pattern in the family’s nomenclature politics. Precedent exists — Indira Priyadarshini had her Parsi husband Feroze Ghandy become Gandhi, recognising the surname’s political potential. While folklore suggests Mahatma Gandhi approved this change, documentary evidence is lacking. Similarly, Priyanka, initially known as Priyanka Vadra post-marriage, became Priyanka Gandhi Vadra upon entering politics, eventually dropping Vadra altogether — a telling indication of the Gandhi surname’s enduring political capital.

It is a matter of debate what the dynasty’s fate would have been if they had not used the Gandhi surname. Raihan might follow suit at a future date to get fast acceptability and wider recognition.

Raihan’s anticipated political entry might further constrain leadership growth within Congress, a party already struggling with internal democracy and talent retention. The family’s zealous space-guarding has driven away capable leaders over generations, creating a leadership vacuum that becomes evident during electoral challenges. The party has suffered since Rahul Gandhi’s 2004 entry, with his rise coinciding with the party’s decline as promising young leaders departed, frustrated by limited growth opportunities. Raihan’s entry could further restrict space for next-generation politicians, though it is premature to judge whether this would be a boon or a bane for the 139-year-old party.

Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi shares 10 Janpath with his mother after vacating the 12 Tughlaq Lane bungalow following his defamation case conviction last year. He has not accepted alternative accommodation despite being the Leader of the Opposition. Perhaps he eyes 7 Race Course Road (now Lok Kalyan Marg), the prime minister’s residence his father once occupied until the Congress’s 1989 electoral defeat.

Ajay Jha is a senior journalist, author and political commentator