Helping Mummy

New face, familiar family

His brother Sanjay would have favored a big celebration, but Rajiv Gandhi, 36, is more modest. The hurrahs were subdued last week after the eldest son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi--and the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru--won a landslide by-election victory and captured the parliamentary seat vacated as a result of Sanjay's death last June. Wearing the white homespun kurta-pajama favored by Indian politicians, Rajiv met simply with a few friends and reporters at his mother's house, where he lives.

No one had doubted that the newest Gandhi to enter politics would win, even though he was less than scintillating on the hustings. Mother's help in the campaign was enough. Still, Rajiv insisted that nepotism would not take him to the top--at least not instantly. "There is no question of my accepting any party post or ministerial office right now," he said. "I am only one month old in politics."

Rajiv, a Boeing 737 pilot for Indian Airlines until last month, understates his potential influence. Since Sanjay, then 33, died in the crash of a stunt plane, Rajiv has been, as he puts it, "helping Mummy" as an unofficial assistant. As the closest of all advisers to Indira, he could easily follow Sanjay's path to become the second most influential person in India.

Although the abrasive Sanjay frequently outraged New Delhi powerbrokers with his highhanded ways, he carried out a serious task for his mother: he kept the volatile Congress Party in line. Since his death, dissent has begun to bubble in party ranks. Rajiv, at least outwardly, seems less adapted to playing pointman for his mother, but he starts his new career with two big advantages: by the corrupt standards of Indian political life, he is Mr. Clean, and Congress Party members will not dare challenge his authority if they want to remain on the good side of Indira Gandhi.

The task the Prime Minister and her newest adviser face is immense. Although Indira claims to be as popular as ever, she has yet to provide the "government that works" as she had promised when she was re-elected 18 months ago. India's economy is plagued by poor industrial production, a debilitating balance of payments owing to oil costs, and 15% inflation. In the long run, these problems may fall more to Rajiv than his mother. Few doubt that he is being groomed as her successor and that his switch from a pilot's seat to one in Parliament foreshadows bigger things.

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