Siblings in Politics: Priyanka and Rahul Resurrect the Nehru-Gandhi Legacy in Parliament
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New Delhi, Nov 28 (NationPress) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra officially embarked on her political career on Thursday, November 28, by taking the oath as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha. Priyanka Gandhi, who represents the Wayanad constituency, now stands as the second member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to be part of the current Lok Sabha after her brother Rahul Gandhi.
This marks a historic moment as it is the first instance since Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit that a brother-sister duo from the Nehru-Gandhi lineage will be present in the legislative assembly. Throughout the history of Indian Parliament, there has rarely been a period, except for a short interval, when at least one member of the Nehru-Gandhi family was not serving in the Lok Sabha. At times, as many as five members from this illustrious family have held seats in the House simultaneously.
Rahul and Priyanka's mother, Sonia Gandhi, has a long history as a Lok Sabha MP and is currently a Rajya Sabha MP representing Rajasthan. This is also the first occasion when a mother and her two children from the Gandhi family will serve together as Members of Parliament.
The simultaneous presence of Priyanka and Rahul in Parliament brings back a significant precedent: 71 years ago, in 1953, the brother-sister duo of Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit from the Nehru family were seen together in the Parliament.
Let’s delve into the Nehru-Gandhi family's representation in the Lok Sabha since its inception:
First Lok Sabha: During the inaugural general election (1951-52), five members of the Nehru-Gandhi family were elected. Jawaharlal Nehru won from Allahabad, while his son-in-law Feroze Gandhi secured victory from Rae Bareli. Uma Nehru won from Sitapur. Her husband, Shyam Lal Nehru, was Jawaharlal Nehru's cousin. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Nehru's sister, claimed the Lucknow seat. Subsequently, Sheorajvati Nehru won a by-election from Lucknow after Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit resigned to become the president of the UN General Assembly in 1953.
Second Lok Sabha: In the elections of 1957, only three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family were elected: Jawaharlal Nehru, Uma Nehru, and Feroze Gandhi, although Feroze passed away in 1960.
Third Lok Sabha: In 1962, Jawaharlal Nehru was the sole representative from the family, and following his death in 1964, his sister Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit filled his seat in a by-election.
Fourth Lok Sabha (1967): This marked the first election after Nehru's death, with Indira Gandhi, Nehru's daughter, winning from Rae Bareli. She was the first to take office following Jawaharlal Nehru's passing. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit won from the Phulpur seat.
Fifth Lok Sabha (1971): Indira Gandhi once again won from Rae Bareli, and her aunt, Sheila Kaul, representing the Nehru-Gandhi family, won from Lucknow.
Sixth Lok Sabha (1977): This election was notable as no member of the Nehru-Gandhi family was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time, as both Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi lost. Nonetheless, Indira returned to Parliament in 1978 from Chikmagalur in Karnataka.
1980 Lok Sabha elections: Sanjay Gandhi contested again from Amethi and was victorious. His mother, Indira Gandhi, contested from both Rae Bareli and Medak in Andhra Pradesh, winning both seats. This was the first occasion a mother-son duo entered Parliament together. After the elections, Indira Gandhi vacated her Rae Bareli seat, leading to a by-election won by Arun Nehru, a relative of the Nehru family.
Arun Nehru was the grandson of Uma Nehru, who had previously won the Lok Sabha seat in 1951 and 1957. Likewise, Indira's aunt, Sheila Kaul, successfully reclaimed the Lucknow seat. Within a single election, the representation of the Nehru-Gandhi family in the Lok Sabha rose to four.
A few months after the election results, tragedy struck as Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash. Following this, his younger brother, Rajiv Gandhi, contested the by-election for Amethi and emerged victorious, thereby entering the Lok Sabha.
Four years later, the Nehru-Gandhi family faced another significant crisis, impacting the Congress party.
On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister and a leading figure in the Congress party, was assassinated. In the subsequent elections, the Congress achieved a massive victory. Rajiv Gandhi won from Amethi, Arun Nehru from Rae Bareli, and Sheila Kaul from Lucknow.
1989 Lok Sabha election: The Congress experienced a notable defeat. Many of Rajiv Gandhi's close associates departed from the party. While Rajiv won from Amethi, other Nehru-Gandhi family members had varied fates.
1991 Lok Sabha polls: In these elections, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was tragically assassinated while contesting from Amethi. Posthumously, he was declared the winner of that seat. However, due to his death, a by-election ensued, won by his close associate, Captain Satish Sharma. Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi's aunt, Sheila Kaul, once again won from Rae Bareli and returned to the Lok Sabha.
Sonia Gandhi and the dawn of new leadership: In 1998, Sonia Gandhi entered active politics, winning the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi. The Congress party saw remarkable wins in the 2004 and 2009 elections under her leadership. Her son, Rahul Gandhi, also contested the 2004 elections from Amethi and established his presence in Parliament.
2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha: The legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family continued with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi representing the Congress in Parliament.
