Although India is a parliamentary democracy, the country's politics has become dynastic with high level of nepotism, possibly due to the absence of party organizations, independent civil-society associations which mobilize support for a party, or centralized financing of elections. The dynastic phenomenon is present at the national, state, regional, and district level. The Nehru–Gandhi family has produced three Indian prime ministers, and family members have largely led the Congress party since 1978. In addition to the major national parties, other national and regional parties are all dominated by families, mostly those of the party founders. The parties include Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal Secular, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Indian Union Muslim League, AIMIM, and the Nationalist Congress Party
National Nehru–Gandhi family
The Nehru–Gandhi family's involvement with the Congress Party began with Motilal Nehru in the 1920s, when India was still part of the British Empire. The family became more influential under his son, Jawaharlal Nehru, who became a prominent figure in India's nationalist movement. After Jawaharlal's death, his daughter Indira Gandhi became his political heir, whose surname comes from her husband, Feroze Gandhi. The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has dominated the Congress Party since Indian independence in 1947. The party was defeated in the 2014 elections, however, and high-level defections took place in Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir. The family still has widespread name recognition.
Motilal Nehru - Freedom fighter, politician and lawyer Jawaharlal Nehru - Freedom fighter, first Indian Prime Minister, 1947–1964 (son of Motilal) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit - Member of Parliament, diplomat (daughter of Motilal) Kamala Nehru - Congress party leader (wife of Jawaharlal) Indira Gandhi - Prime minister, 1966–1977 and 1980–1984 (daughter of Jawaharlal) Feroze Gandhi - Freedom fighter, politician, journalist (husband of Indira) Rajiv Gandhi - Prime minister, 1984–1989 (son of Feroze and Indira) Sonia Gandhi - Former President of the Congress party, leading it to victory in two successive Lok Sabha elections (wife of Rajiv) Rahul Gandhi - Member of Parliament, leader of opposition, former Congress Party president (son of Rajiv and Sonia) Priyanka Gandhi - Member of parliament, Congress party general secretary (daughter of Rajiv and Sonia) Robert Vadra - Businessman, entrepreneur (husband of Priyanka) Sanjay Gandhi - Politician (son of Feroze and Indira) Maneka Gandhi - Cabinet member of Narendra Modi's government (wife of Sanjay Gandhi) Varun Gandhi - Former Member of Parliament (son of Sanjay) Uma Nehru - Member of Parliament (aunt of Indira) Arun Nehru - Former minister (nephew of Indira, grandson of Uma)
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
Kalvakuntla Family Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, former chief minister of Telangana Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, former cabinet minister of Telangana Kalvakuntla Kavitha, former MP from Nizamabad and MLC in Telangana Thaneeru Harish Rao former cabinet minister of Telangana Joginapally Santosh Kumar, Rajya Sabha member
Nandamuri-Nara-Daggubatti Family Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Nandamuri Harikrishna, former Rajya Sabha Member and State Minister Nandamuri Suhasini, vice president of Telugu Desam Party Nandamuri Balakrishna, MLA from Hindupur Daggubati Purandeswari, President of Andhra Pradesh BJP, former MP, former Union Minister of State, Human Resource Development, former Union Minister of State, Commerce and Industry Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, former Member of Andhra Pradesh State Assembly, former Member of Parliament, former Health Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister Andhra Pradesh and incumbent president of Telugu Desam Party Nara Lokesh, General-Secretary of Telugu Desam Party, MLA from Mangalagiri & Cabinet Minister for Panchayat Raj & IT, Andhra Pradesh Nara Ramamurthy Naidu, former MLA from Chandragiri Nara Rohit
Yeduguri Sandinti Family Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Yeduguri Sandinti Vijayamma, President of YSRCP, Former MLA from Pulivendula, Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, MP from Kadapa and president of YSR Congress Party Yeduguri Sandinti Vivekananda Reddy, MP from Kadapa, MLA, MLC & State Minister Yeduguri Sandinti Avinash Reddy, MP from Kadapa Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy, Former MP from Ongole Pochimareddy Ravindranath Reddy, MLA from Kamalapuram
Assam
Gogoi Family
Tarun Gogoi— Former Chief Minister of Assam (2001–2016), Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Assam (1971–1984, 1991–1996, 1998–2001), Member of Legislative Assembly in Assam (1996–1998, 2001–2020) Gaurav Gogoi— Member of Lok Sabha from Assam (2014–present), Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha (2020–present) Dip Gogoi— MLA in Assam (2001-2001), Lok Sabha Member (2002–2014)
Bihar
Mehta Family Tulsidas Mehta— five time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from Jandaha Assembly constituency, former Minister in Lalu Prasad Yadav cabinet, one of the founder of Rashtriya Janata Dal. Alok Kumar Mehta— multiple times Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly, former Member of Lok Sabha from Ujiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, multiple times minister in Rashtriya Janata Dal government. (son of Tulsidas Mehta)
Chaudhary Family Shakuni Choudhary— five time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from Tarapur Assembly constituency and former Minister in Government of Bihar, a close accomplice of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Samrat Choudhary— Chief minister of Bihar, Former Minister in Government of Bihar, President of Bihar wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (son of Shakuni Chaudhary)
Prasad Family Jagdeo Prasad— Founder of Shoshit Samaj Party and Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. Satish Prasad Singh— Former Chief Minister of Bihar for shortest tenure. (brother-in-law of Jagdeo Prasad) Nagmani— Former Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet, several time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly and Minister in Government of Bihar. (son of Jagdeo Prasad and son-in-law of Satish Prasad Singh).
Verma Family Upendra Nath Verma— Former Minister in Vishwanath Pratap Singh's cabinet, several time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly, Former Minister For Education in Government of Bihar. Bagi Kumar Verma— Former Minister in Government of Bihar, several time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly. (son of Upendra Nath Verma)
Kushwaha Family Janardan Manjhi— several times Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from Amarpur Assembly constituency in Banka district. Jayant Raj Kushwaha— Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from Amarpur Assembly constituency, served as Minister for Rural Works and Minister for Minor Water Resources in Government of Bihar. (son of Janardan Manjhi)
Yadav family Lalu Prasad YadavFormer Chief Minister of Bihar and former Railway Minister of India Rabri Devi — Former Chief Minister of Bihar (wife of Lalu Prasad Yadav) Tejashwi Yadav — Deputy CM of Bihar and former leader of the opposition (son of Lalu Prasad Yadav & Rabri Devi) Tej Pratap Yadav — Former Minister of Health and Environment, Government of Bihar (son of Lalu Prasad Yadav & Rabri Devi) Misa Bharti — Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav & Rabri Devi)
Mishra family Lalit Narayan MishraFormer Railway Minister of India Vijay Kumar MishraFormer MLA from Jale and former MP, Lok Sabha from Darbhanga (son of Lalit Narayan Mishra) Rishi MishraFormer MLA from Jale (son of Vijay Kumar Mishra) Jagannath MishraFormer Chief Minister of Bihar and former Cabinet Minister, Government of India (younger brother of Lalit Narayan Mishra) Nitish MishraFormer Rural Development Minister, Government of Bihar (son of Jagannath Mishra) CURRENTLY MINISTER OF TOURISM AND INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR
Sinha family Sadhu Sharan Singh - Nationalist, congressman and father of Thakur Jugal Kishore Sinha Thakur Jugal Kishore SinhaFreedom fighter, member of the first Lok Sabha, known as the father of India's cooperative movement Ram Dulari SinhaFreedom fighter, member of the first Vidhan Sabha, former Union Minister and governor (wife) Madhurendra Kumar Singh - Member All India Congress Committee, former Director Central Warehousing Corporation and Bihar State Cooperative Bank. Mrigendra Kumar Singh - son of Dr. Madhurendra Kumar Singh. State Secretary of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee, former President of Sheohar Loksabha Youth Congress.
Chhattisgarh
Jogi family Ajit JogiFormer Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Renu JogiFormer MLA from Kota, Chhattisgarh (wife of Ajit Jogi) Amit JogiFormer MLA from Marwahi, Chhattisgarh (son of Ajit Jogi & Renu Jogi)
Shukla family Shyama Charan ShuklaFormer Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Amitesh ShuklaFormer Rural Development Minister, Government of Chhattisgarh (son of Shyama Charan Shukla) Vidya Charan Shukla Former Cabinet Minister, Government of India (younger brother of Shyama Charan Shukla)
Kashyap family Baliram KashyapFormer MP, Lok Sabha from Bastar Dinesh KashyapFormer MP, Lok Sabha from Bastar (son of Baliram Kashyap)
Singh (Raman) family Raman SinghFormer Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Abhishek SinghFormer MP, Lok Sabha from Rajnandgaon (son)
Goa Alemao family Churchill AlemaoFourth Chief Minister of Goa, former MP from South Goa, former MLA from Benaulim and Navelim Joaquim AlemaoFormer MLA from Benaulim and Cuncolim (brother) Yuri AlemaoMLA from Cuncolim (son)
Bandodkar family Dayanand BandodkarFirst Chief Minister of Goa, former MLA from Mandrem and Marcaim Shashikala KakodkarSecond Chief Minister of Goa, former MLA from Ponda, Bicholim and Maem (daughter)
Dhavalikar family Sudin DhavalikarMLA from Marcaim Deepak DhavalikarFormer MLA from Priol (brother)
D'Souza family Francis D'SouzaFormer MLA from Mapusa Joshua D'SouzaMLA from Mapusa (son)
Fernandes family Victoria Fernandes Former MLA from St. Cruz Rodolfo FernandesMLA from St. Cruz (son)
Gauns family Gurudas GaunsFormer MLA from Pale Pratap GaunsFormer MLA from Pale (brother)
Lobo family Michael LoboMLA from Calangute Delilah LoboMLA from Siolim (wife)
Monserrate family Atanasio MonserrateMLA from Panaji, former MLA from Taleigao and St. Cruz Jennifer MonserrateMLA from Taleigao (wife)
Rane family Pratapsingh RaneThird Chief Minister of Goa, former MLA from Sattari and Poriem Vishwajit Pratapsingh RaneMLA from Valpoi (son) Deviya Vishwajit RaneMLA from Poriem (wife)
Saldanha family José Matanhy de SaldanhaFormer MLA from Cortalim Alina Saldanha Former MLA from Cortalim (wife)
Sequeira family Jack de SequeiraFirst opposition leader from Goa, former MLA from Panaji and St. Cruz Erasmo de SequeiraFormer MP from South Goa (son)
Shet family Anant ShetFormer MLA from Maem Premendra ShetMLA from Maem (brother)
Vaz family John Manuel VazFormer MLA from Mormugao Giovanni Karl VazFormer MLA from Mormugao (son)
Zantye family Harish Narayan Prabhu ZantyeFormer MP from North Goa, former MLA from Bicholim and Maem Pravin Zantye Former MLA from Maem (son)
Gujarat
Patel family Chimanbhai Patel Family Chimanbhai Patel, Former Chief Minister of Gujarat. Siddharth Patel, Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Former President of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. Keshubhai Patel Family Keshubhai Patel, Former Chief Minister of Gujarat. Bharat Patel, BJP member.
Haryana