Dynasts rule the roost in Lok Sabha with 31% share, shows ADR analysis

Over a fifth of sitting legislators have dynastic backgrounds; Cong has highest share at 31%

Nearly 21 per cent (1,107) of the 5,204 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and Members of Legislative Councils (MLCs), have dynastic backgrounds, according to an analysis by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) released on Friday.

 

Their representation is highest in the Lok Sabha at 31 per cent, and lowest in Assemblies at 20 per cent. The Rajya Sabha and state Legislative Councils report 21 per cent and 22 per cent dynastic representation, respectively.

 

The ADR report said that among the national parties, 3,214 sitting MPs, MLAs and MLCs have been analysed and 657 (20 per cent) have dynastic backgrounds.

 

The Congress has the highest share at 32 per cent, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at 18 per cent. The CPI (M) has the lowest, with just 8 per cent of its members from political families.

 

Among state parties, of the 1,809 MPs, MLAs and MLCs analysed, 406 (22 per cent) have dynastic backgrounds.

 

Parties like the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharachandra Pawar), or NCP (SP) at 42 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (42%), Andhra Pradesh’s YSR Congress Party (38%), Telugu Desam Party (36%) and NCP (34%) exhibit strong dynastic tendencies.

 

The Trinamool Congress (10%), AIADMK (4%) have lower rates, possibly due to charismatic non-dynastic leadership, the ADR said.

 

Among the states, Uttar Pradesh ranks highest in absolute numbers with 141 (23 per cent) out of 604 MPs, MLAs and MLCs analysed having dynastic political backgrounds. Maharashtra follows with 129 (32 per cent) out of 403 sitting legislators from dynastic backgrounds.

 

In terms of proportion in larger states, Andhra Pradesh has the highest share of dynastic representation, with 86 (34 per cent) out of 255 sitting MPs, MLAs and MLCs coming from political families. This is followed by Maharashtra, where 129 (32 per cent) out of 403 MPs, MLAs and MLCs have dynastic background and Karnataka, 94 (29 per cent) out of 326 MPs, MLAs and MLCs having dynastic backgrounds.

 

The report said that out of 4,665 sitting male MPs, MLAs and MLCs analyzed, 856 (18 per cent) have dynastic backgrounds. Among 539 sitting female MPs, MLAs and MLCs, 251 (47 per cent) are from political families.

 

The report said left-wing and newer reformist parties (CPI(M), AAP) have lowest dynasticism, aligning with their ideological positioning against elitism.

 

By contrast, "social justice" or caste-based regional parties (SP, RJD, JD(U)) exhibit 30-40 per cent dynasticism.