The trials and tribulations of Shashi Tharoor, Congress party MP from Kerala, highlight how the brightest and best are an endangered species in the grand ‘ole party hogged by dynasts and swamped by a lumpen bourgeoisie hell-bent on getting to the top of the pile.

Academically highly qualified, the author of 25 well-researched history, politics and culture books, former Under Secretary General of the United Nations and litterateur with a national reputation as an English language wordsmith, had he been born in America, Tharoor — a committed believer in the presidential system of democratic governance — would most likely have served at least one term as the President of the United States by now. Instead in this Republic of Mediocrity, he is struggling to maintain a foothold in the Congress party, dominated by Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has ruled over post-independence India for more than 50 years and reduced high-potential newly independent India to abject poverty (annual per capita income: $2,600 cf. $86,600 in the US and China’s $13,306). Despite this, Rahul Nehru-Gandhi, currently Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, routinely vilifies private sector industry leaders (Adani-Ambani), and remains committed to distributing national wealth without first generating it.

Meanwhile the English (and Hindi, Malayalam)-articulate Tharoor, a clear favourite of India’s educated middle class, is reportedly chafing at the bit. Now he has his sights set on presidency of the Kerala Congress to lead the party to contest the state assembly elections scheduled for 2026. This proposal has reportedly been rejected by the Nehru-Gandhi scion who should acknowledge that following his record of losing three General Elections to the BJP and several in the states, Tharoor is the best man to lead the Congress out of the wilderness. But the ill-educated Nehru-Gandhi scion still can’t read the writing on the wall.