Can a non-Gandhi Congress leader take on PM Narendra Modi?

Veteran politician Mallikarjun Kharge will be the Congress’ first head from outside the Gandhi family in 24 years.

Five generations of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty have been party presidents and it has given India three prime ministers.

But in 2014, Narendra Modi led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a decisive victory and his Hindu nationalist platform has gained more support since then.

Many have blamed Congress’ dependence on one family for its decline.

So can a non-Gandhi party leader take on Modi?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra

Guests:

KS Sabarinadhan – vice president of the Congress party’s youth wing in Kerala and a former member of the regional legislature

Sugata Srinivasaraju – columnist and author of a biography of former Indian prime minister HD Deve Gowda

Javed Ansari – journalist and political commentator