The party has been predominantly controlled by the Nehru-Gandhi family. From India’s initial Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi of the fourth generation, all have entered the Parliament. Currently, Priyanka Gandhi, who belongs to the same generation, is running in the Lok Sabha by-election in Wayanad, Kerala in order to enter Parliament.
Priyanka has been actively involved in politics for many years. She has been entrusted with numerous tasks by the party. In case Priyanka emerges victorious in the election, she would become the third female Member of Parliament from the Nehru-Gandhi family. Once Priyanka wins the Wayanad election (Waynad ByElection), she will be the eighth MP in her family.
The Nehru family remains the most powerful political family in the nation. In the event that Priyanka emerges victorious in the election, three family members will be seen in parliament together. In Nehru’s era, Feroze Gandhi, his son-in-law, was elected as a Member of Parliament. In 1964, Indira Gandhi, his daughter, ascended the parliament steps for the first time.
During Indira Gandhi’s time as Prime Minister, her son Sanjay Gandhi was elected as the MP from Amethi. Following Sanjay’s unfortunate demise in a accident, Rajiv Gandhi was chosen as the Member of Parliament from this constituency. Following Indira’s murder, Rajiv assumed the role of the country’s Prime Minister. Rajiv was killed in 1991 as well.
At the leaders’ urging to prevent Congress from falling apart, Sonia joined the party in 1997 and took on the role of party president in 1998. She ran for the first time in the Lok Sabha elections from Bellary and Amethi in 1999. Ever since that time, Sonia has served as a Member of Parliament. Throughout her time as president, UPA, led by Congress, governed for a decade.
While Sonia was involved in political activism, her older son Rahul joined politics in 2004. He was chosen as the Member of Parliament representing Amethi. After serving as a Member of Parliament from this place thrice, in the 2019 elections, he ran for Lok Sabha elections in Wayanad as well as Amethi. Smriti Irani from BJP won against Rahul in Amethi.
In 2024, Sonia gave up her seat in Rae Bareli to become a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan during the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul ran for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 in Wayanad and Raebareli. Once he won in both locations, he vacated the Wayanad position and transferred it to his sister Priyanka. Sonia and her son Rahul Gandhi are both currently serving as members of Parliament.