My objections to dynastic democracy are based on the conviction that India will remain a poor, backward, corrupt country until we get real political leaders instead of heirs. During this long, dreary election campaign, I travelled in Orissa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana and Karnataka, and everywhere I went I saw that everything that was ‘world class’ had been created by private citizens and everything that was second rate was the work of government. The best schools, hospitals and companies were those that had not been touched by government. Everywhere government had failed to do its bit by building the roads and public amenities that are its specific job.

No matter how much good we try to do as private citizens, we need political leaders to do their share. We have the largest number of poor and illiterate people in the world, half our children are malnourished, millions are not in school and more than 70 per cent of our population lives in conditions that should be declared unfit for human habitation. They live without clean water, sanitation and basic hygiene and mostly in windowless hovels. This is true even in our progressive states.

It is my considered opinion that we will not find solutions to these problems until we get real political leaders. It is my considered opinion that real political leaders do not come from dynastic succession. Real leaders come from real political movements not because they are born with the right name. But, you cannot argue with the box office. If we end up with another Gandhi as prime minister, some day soon it will be because we love our ruling dynasty.