New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra officially began her parliamentary journey on Thursday, November 28, by taking the oath as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha. Representing Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi becomes the second member of the Nehru-Gandhi family in the current Lok Sabha, joining her brother Rahul Gandhi.
This historic moment marks the first time since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit that a brother-sister duo from the Nehru-Gandhi family will be present together in Parliament. It is also the first instance of a mother, Sonia Gandhi, serving as a Rajya Sabha MP while her two children represent the family in the Lok Sabha.
The joint presence of Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi revives a legacy dating back to 1953, when Jawaharlal Nehru and his sister Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit were simultaneously part of Parliament.
Nehru-Gandhi Family Legacy in Lok Sabha
The Nehru-Gandhi family has been a constant presence in India’s parliamentary history, except for a brief period in the late 1970s. At its peak, the family had as many as five members serving in the Lok Sabha at once.
- First Lok Sabha (1951-52): Jawaharlal Nehru, Feroze Gandhi, Uma Nehru, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, and Sheorajvati Nehru represented the family.
- Fifth Lok Sabha (1971): Indira Gandhi and Sheila Kaul carried the family legacy forward.
- 1980s: Indira Gandhi and her sons, Sanjay and Rajiv Gandhi, were prominent leaders, with Arun Nehru and Sheila Kaul also serving in Parliament.
- 1991 Onwards: Sonia Gandhi’s entry into politics marked a new chapter, followed by her son Rahul Gandhi’s rise in 2004 and now Priyanka Gandhi’s debut in 2024.
Priyanka Gandhi’s entry into the Lok Sabha solidifies the Nehru-Gandhi family’s enduring political influence and its unique role in shaping India’s parliamentary history.
As the Wayanad MP, she is expected to play a significant role in Congress’s strategy for the upcoming general elections.
