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A couple of weeks back one of BJP's most prominent leaders, Pramod Mahajan, passed away after being shot at thrice by his brother. Like him or hate him, you could never ignore him. He was, in many ways, symbolic of the upcoming generation of Indian politics. His untimely death shocked the entire nation.
Now things start getting a little queer after this point. BJP wants that Pramod Mahajan's wife, Rekha Mahajan, be nominated for the seat in Rajya Sabha left vacant by his death. Allegedly, in order to secure an unanimous election BJP leaders have started talking to Congress and NCP leaders in order to hammer out a deal.
My first question is, is this not dynastic politics? While Pramod Mahajan was a great leader what qualifications does his wife possess to sit in the upper house of the parliament? From what little I've read she was not really involved in politics. In many ways it boils down to a ongoing debate- merit vs birthright. Does Rekha Mahajan deserve a place in the Indian parliament just because she is a slain leaders wife or am I to believe that the BJP cannot find a single person within the party who deserves the seat based on what he can contribute to the nation.
Pramod Mahajan's death was, no doubt, tragic. However is sympathy the only criteria for filling up a seat in the Rajya Sabha? For a party with a slogan which reads "A party with a difference" it sometimes acts much in the same way as its opponents.
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