Rahul Gandhi is now No. 2 in the Congress party, designated vice-president and with only his mother, Sonia Gandhi, as his boss. The young scion faces tough challenges both within the party and from the rising tide of Narendra Modi. Mint

Rahul’s great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of independent India. Under Nehru’s leadership, the Congress dominated national politics, winning consecutive elections in 1951, 1957, and 1962. HT

Rahul’s grandmother, Indira Gandhi led the country through a victorious war with Pakistan. She was elected a record four terms as prime minister from 1966–77 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. HT

Sanjay Gandhi was widely expected to succeed his mother, Indira Gandhi, as head of the Congress, but following his untimely death in a plane crash his older brother Rajiv became the heir apparent. HT

At 40, Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest prime minister of India. Named prime minister following his mother’s assassination, Rajiv too was killed by the LTTE while he was electioneering in Tamil Nadu. HT

Rajiv’s widow Sonia Gandhi became president of the Congress in 1998 and has held that post since then. In 2004 she resisted efforts by her party to head the government, choosing Manmohan Singh to take over as Prime Minister. HT