The oldest political dynasty in India has a new dynast. On February 6, Robert Vadra, 42, chose Rae Bareli, the headquarters of Gandhi Inc, political home of Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, to announce his ambitions. Astride a motorcycle, he declared: "If people want, I can join politics." The people did not reply; and the Congress party was a bit hesitant about its reaction. Most Congressmen were stunned. Loyalty lines were blurring. Rahul Gandhi, 41, was their chosen leader, and sister Priyanka, 40, a support rather than threat. What would her husband Robert constitute? In public perception, Rae Bareli had been allotted to Priyanka. She was seen as the natural successor to the family seat. Vadra has disrupted all calculations; the unspoken worry is that Vadra has developed prime ministerial ambitions and is now ready to voice them.
Priyanka, who was campaigning in Amethi, 60 km away, blamed the media for asking her husband a golmatol (roundabout) question. She understood the implications, because a dynasty cannot have two heirs without Mughal-style war eventually breaking out. "He (Vadra) is a successful businessman and has no time for politics," she said. But her successful businessman refused to back down. In yet another interview, this time to a news channel, he reiterated his statement: "I think there is a time and place for everything. The day I feel that I can make a difference for the people, and the people would like me representing them... That calling will come at some stage, I feel."
This was as plain as ambition can get. Suddenly Vadra, who has spent 15 years in the shadows, did not look apologetic about space in the limelight. His two children Raihan, 11, and Miraya, 9, came with him on this first solo foray into Rae Bareli. since 1999, when he started accompanying the family on election campaigns. The man who once drove his brother-in-law Rahul's car seems to be seeking the driver's seat.
This is an excerpt from India Today Cover Story dated February 20, 2012.