Young MPs in India - beyond the euphoria

The Indian elections have been in the news globally for a number of reasons - from the way more than 400 million people voted over a month, to the impact the results had on the Indian stock market on that Manic Monday - May 18. So before the topic goes stale, I must jot down a few lines related to this epic event in the history of
democracy.

Let me focus on one of the most-discussed themes of these elections - the so-called emergence and prominence of the youth. This has primarly centred on two issues; firstly, that there is greater representation of the youth among the elected legislators, and secondly, that this election has seen greater participation by young voters. I will dwell on the first.

The issue has been in the limelight since Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, took an active and leading role in campaigning for the Congress Party. As every commentator has mentioned, the result of the election has been influenced to a significant extent by Rahul Gandhi's winning back large chunks of
India's largest state Uttar Pradesh for his party. No less significant has been the contribution of his cousin - Varun Gandhi - who managed to diminish whatever chance his party (BJP, the key and only national rival of the Congress) had by his hateful speeches insulting the Muslim community. So youth did have a role to play if pure impact is anything to go by.

Around 12% of the legislators in the new Parliament are what can be called "young" in Indian politics - below 40. Let us look at the young MPs who have been in the news. What is common to Mausam Noor, Nilesh Rane, Supriya Sule, Agatha Sangma and Hamidullah Sayeed? They are all relatives, in most cases sons or daughters, of established politicians. Along with their more well-known and visible counterparts Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora or Sachin Pilot, for that matter. Indeed, the young MPs without a political connection in the family are in a minority. And like Kerala MPs P.K. Biju and M.B. Rajesh, they are mostly from the Left Front - the Communist-led coalition - with a background in student politics.

So is this emergence of young politicians as great a news as it is made out to be by the mainstream media and television anchors with verbal diarrhoea? Surely not. It is indeed unfortunate that the old Indian bane of "connetions" and "all in the family" has been so prominent where it can have the maximum influence. Not very different from large swathes of Indian business, where untested and often unworthy offspring get a fast-track to the corner office. And more experienced and more accomplished lesser mortals have to clear the way for the crown princes and princeses.

But there is a silver lining. Most of these young MPs are well educated, often in the best institutions in India and abroad. Some of them are well-travelled globally, and therefore have a broader perspective that is no doubt only further broadened when they hit the dusty village roads in sweltering heat to ask for votes. They have spent most of their adult life seeing India open up to the world, and starting the slow but sure journey to a more meritocratic society where equal opportunity for all, no matter what the background, is the ultimate goal. So maybe they can be the catalyst of change that Indian politics sorely needs. For all his experience, expertise and statesmanship, Dr Manmohan Singh is not in the best physical health to lead the country for long. And neither would be L.K. Advani, his prime ministerial rival in this election.

Drawing a parallel from Indian business, we can look at Wipro, where Azim Premji inherited a consumer business by virtue of being born into the right family. But he used the opportunity to transform the company into a leader in IT services. Not as romantic as the first generation entrepreneurs at Infosys, but a terrific achievement nevertheless. India's young MPs from privileged backgrounds have had a relatively easier, and surely shorter, route to Parliament House. What they do now will determine how they will be remembered.

India will be watching.