Both these trends could be seen after Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's untimely death. It was inevitable that large sections of Andhra Congressmen would take up the cudgels on behalf of the former chief minister's son, Jagan Mohan Reddy, and even indulge in unseemly conduct during the condolence meeting to press their case, forcing the PCC chief to abruptly close the meeting.

Their demand that Jagan Mohan be made the chief minister showed how the dynastic principle has struck deep roots in the party. True, it may not be fair to blame the Congress alone for this propensity. Nearly all the political parties, except for the Left and the BJP, have fallen prey to this insidious tendency. Whether it is Sharad Pawar or M.Karunanidhi or Prakash Singh Badal or Farooq Abdullah, the choice of the successor invariably falls on the son or daughter than anyone in the party.

The Andhra Congressmen cannot be upbraided, therefore, for campaigning for YSR's son despite his lack of experience. Having seen how the baton in their own party had passed from Jawaharlal to Indira to Rajiv to Sonia and Rahul, they apparently felt that there was nothing wrong for them to ask for the coronation of the son of one of the states' tallest leaders in recent years.

It is also undeniable that none of the others who were supposed to be in the line - K.Rosaiah or Jaipal Reddy - could be said to be inspirational figures. Although Rosaiah has now become chief minister, he will be aware that his appeal is strictly limited either as a vote-catcher among the people or as a person who can wield authority with ease within the party.

The problem with dynasties is that they invest their members with an indefinable aura which makes them appear larger than life. As a result, they can command respect and enforce discipline with far greater effectiveness than ordinary members of the party, irrespective of their seniority or official and party positions.

Nothing showed the clout of the Nehru-Gandhi family more than the ease with which it could douse the enthusiasm of the partymen for Jagan Mohan. Once it became clear in Hyderabad that Sonia Gandhi was displeased with the vociferous show of support for Jagan Mohan, the demand for his elevation to the chief minister's post died down.

In the process, the old Congress habit of leaving the selection of the legislature party leader to the high command again came to the fore. It was YSR's stature and the emotions generated by his tragic death which made the Congressmen try to intervene in the choice of his successor. Had he been a run-of-the-mill politician, then the high command would have played the role of the arbiter any way.

It has to be admitted that YSR was something of an exception. Or had become one after his two successive election victories in Andhra Pradesh. Arguably, he had the makings of the kind of powerful regional satraps who were Congress chief ministers in Nehru's time. If none of them - Morarji Desai in undivided Bombay, B.C.Roy in West Bengal, K.Kamaraj in Tamil Nadu, Kamalapati Tripathi in U.P, Srikrishna Sinha in Bihar, Biju Patnaik in Orissa - actively promoted their kith and kin, the reason was that the dynastic principle had not yet taken hold of the Congress.

It is difficult to say what would have happened if YSR had lived and had grown even bigger in stature. But, even in his absence, it is more than likely that Jagan Mohan will remain a contender for the top post some time in the future provided he plays his cards well by concentrating on his work as an M.P.

The Congress has traditionally depended on leaders who are either charismatic or are doers who can win elections. This tendency was more apparent at the centre than in the states, but there is no reason why it cannot become a feature in the states as well as in the past. YSR belonged to the second category. He was a doer who was also developing a charisma because of his successes.

At a time when electoral victories come relatively easily to those who engage in developmental activity, like Nitish Kumar in Bihar, it is the doers of the YSR type who are bound to gain in prominence in both the Congress and in the other parties.

Jagan Mohan, on the other hand, will get the benefit of his father's memories among the people of Andhra Pradesh till he develops a political personality of his own.(IPA News)