India's Youngest Cabinet Ministers Look To Future

Manmohan Singh (file photo)Despite the election of younger heads of government in such countriesas Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, the face ofpolitics in India is still one of relative seniority. Prime MinisterManmohan Singh, who has heart trouble, is 76. The head of the largestopposition party is 81. A much younger generation is beginning toenter the electoral stage in the world's largest democracy, but that isalso raising questions about dynastic politics.  

As India's newCabinet was sworn-in in May, all eyes were on one of its youngestmembers, 28-year-old Agatha Sangma. She was among a few young facesbrought into government by the Congress Party to inject a sense ofyouth and energy after its resounding poll victory.

Thirty-one-year-oldSachin Pilot is the newly appointed junior minister for communicationsand technology. His late father, Rajesh, was also a Cabinet minister.

Congress party leaders Rahul Gandhi (L) and Sachin Pilot during meeting of newly elected Congress lawmakers in New Delhi, 19 May 2009And,39-year-old Rahul Ghandi, who declined a Cabinet position toconcentrate on strengthening the party at the grassroots, is beinggroomed, according to analysts, to become prime minister one day.

Whatall three have in common is each belongs to political families. Political dynasties appear to be a trend that is not abating, butspreading beyond the influential Nehru-Gandhi clan to a handful offamilies across India.

Sangma, India's youngest nationallawmaker and minister of state of rural development, has been aroundpolitics all her life. Her father, P.A. Sangma, is a career politicianwho rose to become speaker of the more powerful lower house ofParliament. His daughter admits being perplexed about how to addresselders in the ministry who are now her underlings.

"I have grownup with some people who are now still part of this ministry and many atimes I am confused," she said. "Should I call them 'uncle' or should Icall them 'Mr. So and So?'"

Sangma, trained as a lawyer,acknowledges an experienced political father as a mentor gives her anadvantage, but only in the short term.
 
"It is very difficultfor really young people to suddenly come up in politics unless theyhave a political background. But I would not say that one should judgethe young political leaders only on this basis because, yes, we have aname, but name is not the only the only thing on which will be able tosurvive," she said.

Being a member of a recognized politicalfamily, she explains, sets the bar even higher as such lawmakers areexpected to get much more done than their peers without a legacy.

The second-youngest member of the Singh Cabinet, Sachin Pilot, agrees family legacy only gets a candidate so far.

"Comingfrom a family of politicians or having a background in politics oughtnot to be a disqualification for an individual," he said. "Anindividual contests an election and there about two-million people whoelect that individual back to Parliament, we respect that collectivewisdom of that electorate which is two-million strong."

Pilotbelieves Rahul Gandhi's performance in this year's national electionelevated his stature. But he cautions there are no guarantees of theyouthful Congress Party figure becoming prime minister.

"Ithink the abilities are there," he said. "He has the potential . And it is very clear that he has been the starcampaigner for the Congress Party in translating that effort intovictory."

Indian Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi (L) and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh give a press conference at her residence in New Delhi, 16 May 2009Rahul's mother, the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, widowof former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, remains the Congress Partykingmaker.
 
Rahul is now focusing on building the party'sgrassroots and trying to lure additional young activists into thepolitical mainstream, including those from disparate backgrounds.

The Pilot family is from the Hindu Gujjar clan, traditionally shepherds and considered a disadvantaged community.

TheSangmas, who are Catholics, hail from a tribal village in the state ofMeghalaya, part of the distant and underdeveloped Northeast region.
 
"Wefeel neglected. We feel that we are not accepted in the country aspart of mainstream India. And this is not something that is only theresponsibility of the political leaders. The entire society has toevolve and understand that, we, at the end of the day are veryintegrally part of the same country," said Sangma.

That is arefrain uttered frequently by many disenfranchised minorities here inthe world's largest democracy. But India's two youngest governmentministers are optimistic more of their peers, in terms of age andbackground, will find greater inclusion in the Indian politicalmainstream.