 "STALIN, BANERJEE, RIYAS, GOGOI")
In poll-bound Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and West Bengal, a new generation of leaders from influential political families is coming into clear view. Rather than merely inheriting high office, they are seeking to define themselves through governance and administrative delivery. Among those drawing the closest attention are Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin; P A Mohammed Riyas, son-in-law of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan; Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee; and Gaurav Gogoi, son of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
Across southern India, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, several such political heirs have earned recognition from observers and colleagues not just for their lineage, but also for their performance in office. Take Tamil Nadu: Udhayanidhi was elevated as deputy chief minister only in September 2024 but his association with politics goes back decades. Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders recall seeing him accompany his grandfather, the late M Karunanidhi, at political events as early as the 1989 Assembly elections.
His rise, however, did not come without criticism. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed his elevation as “one more son rise” in Tamil Nadu politics, while also attacking him over remarks calling for the “eradication of Sanatana Dharma”. The principal Opposition, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), resorted to familiar barbs, branding him a “Prince”.
On a day of heavy rain late last year, the young DMK leader was seen on the flooded streets of Chennai, monitoring relief work late into the night, including overseeing operations on the ground. “What I admire most about him is that he leads from the front… His work with self-help groups is also commendable, reflecting his approachable leadership style. This is the kind of leadership that earns trust -- hands-on, energetic and deeply rooted in service and our Dravidian ideology,” said T R B Rajaa, Tamil Nadu’s industries minister.
Other credits to Udhayanidhi’s record include the rollout of the Naan Mudhalvan scheme and initiatives in sports, such as hosting the Chess Olympiad and organising a night circuit race in Chennai.
The Naan Mudhalvan programme seeks to bridge the gap between education and industry by offering industry-aligned courses, career guidance and mentorship. “His effort to bring the Dravidian approach into sports has also opened up new opportunities for our youth, with a focus on access for all, sports science and world-class training,” said Rajaa, son of veteran DMK leader T R Baalu, who himself is regarded as one of the government’s key performers, having played a major role in attracting over ₹11 trillion in investments.
The emergence of the next generation is not confined to Tamil Nadu. In neighbouring Kerala, too, a political heir has moved into prominence. While family members of senior leaders have contested elections and become ministers within the Opposition Congress, this was less common in the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M). When P A Mohammed Riyas was inducted into the Cabinet ahead of widely known leaders such as K K Shailaja and veterans like Thomas Isaac, it triggered debate.
Married to T Veena Vijayan, the chief minister’s daughter, Riyas has been a long-time grassroots worker of the CPI(M). In the current government, he is among the more visible ministers, handling public works and tourism. He has been credited with improvements in road infrastructure and a revival of the state’s tourism sector.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well, younger leaders from political families are taking centre stage. Andhra Pradesh’s Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh, son of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, is credited with drawing Google’s proposed $15 billion AI data centre investment to Visakhapatnam, taking total IT investments under his watch to ~15 trillion.
He has also played a key role in positioning the state as a renewable energy destination through discussions with Brookfield president Connor Teskey and the ReNew Energy Global team. Those efforts have translated into Brookfield planning investments of around $12 billion across multiple green energy projects, alongside ReNew’s $9.3 billion commitment in the state.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, too, first came to prominence as the son of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. “The advantage for next-generation leaders lies in the sentiment and affection people have for their families -- a trend that began with the Nehru family and the Congress. At the same time, many of these leaders also demonstrate strong administrative skills. Politics often comes naturally to them. It is also about the trust regional parties place in the next generation, preferring to entrust key roles to them rather than bringing in outsiders,” said Rama Krishna Sangem, a veteran journalist and political analyst.
“This trend is visible in the North as well, though outcomes differ from person to person. From Jammu and Kashmir to the Thackerays in Maharashtra, the Scindias, the Lalu family or the Pilot family, succession is common. What stands out in recent years is the relatively high rate of administrative success in South India,” said Sangem.
Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister T G Bharath and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who is also from the Telugu Desam Party, also hail from well-known political families. In Telangana, Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (KTR), working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and son of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, made his mark as an industry-friendly minister during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government.
Towards the East, the organisational and leadership abilities of two other political heirs will also be under focus in the Assembly elections scheduled for April-May. The Congress’ Assam unit chief Gaurav Gogoi and Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee are expected to face close scrutiny in their respective states.
Both Gaurav and Abhishek have built profiles as effective members of parliament and are currently tasked with strengthening party organisation in Assam and West Bengal. Abhishek, who serves as the Trinamool Congress general secretary, oversees the party’s organisational machinery, including its booth-level associates, which have been engaged in tracking the Election Commission’s special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Bengal.
A political analyst said: “Family names may help win the first election; after that, it is performance that matters” -- a reality that may explain why the next generation is working hard on the political field.
