Rajiv Gandhi, The Prime Minister continues...

The crucial factor in the selection of Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Ministerwas that a distraught nation had already decided that he should succeedIndira Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi was non-political in the sense that he hadnot participated in any visible political activities before the death of hisyounger brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash near Delhi in 1980. AfterSanjay Gandhi’s death he was brought into politics by his mother.

Subsequently, he was made the General Secretary of the All India Congress

Committee (AICC). Although initially he is said to have been reluctant toenter politics he could not have stayed out of it for long. Being the grandsonof Nehru and the son of Indira Gandhi, he was certainly familiar with the political milieu, because this family had been the epicentre of India’s politicsfor over a century.

The life of the Nehrus is inextricably interlinked withIndia’s destiny. The story begins with Pandit Motilal Nehru, father ofJawaharlal Nehru. His name shines out among a galaxy of leaders whofought for the freedom of the country. The contribution of this familytowards India’s freedom and thereafter the consolidation of democracy isunparalleled way.

To be continued......