BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi Using Tewari's 'Nepo Kid' Remarks

Congress MP Manish Tewari ignited a fresh political row on Tuesday by linking recent political upheavals in South and Southeast Asia to generational rejection of "entitlement", using terms like "#nepokids" in a social media post that the BJP swiftly repurposed to target Rahul Gandhi. Tewari, a vocal G-23 dissident within Congress, framed the ousters and protests as a broader youth-led backlash against dynastic politics, urging followers to study trends like the "#TrillionPesoMarch" in the Philippines. The BJP, seizing on the phrasing, accused Tewari of indirectly rebuking Gandhi, amplifying internal Congress frictions amid ongoing leadership debates.

Tewari's post highlighted the July 2023 ouster of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid economic collapse; Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's flight in July 2024 following student protests; Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's resignation on September 9, 2025, after deadly anti-corruption demonstrations that torched parliament and killed 19; and ongoing Philippine rallies against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over flood control fraud. "ENTITLEMENT IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE TO GEN X, Y, AND Z," Tewari wrote, teasing an upcoming analysis on social media's role in challenging "DYNASTS".

The Philippines protests, erupting September 21, drew over 130,000 to Manila streets on the martial law anniversary, decrying embezzlement of up to $18 billion in flood projects since 2022, with Marcos Jr vowing impartial probes but facing calls for resignation.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya pounced on the post, declaring, "Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari... takes aim at Rahul Gandhi—the ultimate ‘Nepo Kid’ of Indian politics. Forget Gen Z, even Congress’s own veterans are fed up with his regressive politics. The revolt is now from within."

Party spokesperson Sambit Patra echoed the sentiment at a press conference, claiming Indians had "removed the Nepo kid" in 2014 via the ballot, crediting the electorate's "spiritual and awakened" discipline. Patra tied Tewari's words to global anti-dynasty fervour, portraying Congress as a relic of hereditary entitlement. The attacks revive BJP's long-standing narrative against Gandhi's family legacy, intensified after Congress's 2024 poll setbacks.

Also Read: Arunachal’s Mega Hydro Dam Gets Green Light Amid Safety and Tribal Concerns

Tewari, who has clashed with party high command over leadership since the 2022 G-23 letter demanding internal elections, rebuffed the spin as immature. "Gosh, I just wish that some people would grow up... What is happening in South Asia and East Asia has serious national security implications," he posted, insisting the discourse transcend "Cong-BJP he said, she said." As a former Union minister and Chandigarh MP, Tewari's critique aligns with his history of advocating democratic reforms within Congress, though it risks alienating allies ahead of state elections.

The episode underscores deepening generational divides in politics, with social media amplifying youth discontent from Kathmandu to Manila. As Tewari prepares his analysis, the BJP's retort highlights how regional instability fuels domestic rivalries, potentially reshaping narratives on dynasties in India's polarised landscape.

Also Read: Apollo Hospitals To Launch Five New Genomics Institutes In FY26