FAMILIAR AFFAIRS   (23 Jan 2009)

I am happy that Sukhbir Singh Badal has been appointed as Punjab’s deputy chief minister by his father. As the father-son duo get ready to keep the charge of state government within family, I think it is high time that Congress stops getting blamed for being a dynasty-centric party by all opposition parties, including BJP.

As a matter of fact, no major political party in India today can claim to be free from dynasty-led organization. The majority of NDA constituents are well renowned as dynasty-led parties, examples include Naveen Patnaik in Orissa, Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh. There are number of prominent leaders with in the BJP who have promoted their family members in politics. The anointment of Sukhbir Badal merely adds to the list.