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Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s husband was close to former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao, while her father-in-law was a multi-term minister in Andhra Pradesh.

New Delhi: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week took on Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying she didn’t have a “khaandaan” (dynasty) to boast of.

While participating in the debate on Rafale in Parliament, Sitharaman referred to the humble background of Prime Minister Narendra Modi too.

“PM comes from a poor background. He has come here through hard work. I have my honour intact. The PM has his honour intact. We have all come from normal backgrounds,” she said.

However, soon after she made the comments, social media was buzzing with comments about her own family, or “khaandaan”.

The defence minister’s own father was a railways employee, but her in-laws are a political family in their own right.

“Her husband belongs to a political family though he didn’t have a successful stint. Her in-laws have been politically connected too. The family was closely connected to former PM Narasimha Rao too,” said a person who knows the family well.

In-laws

Sitharaman’s husband Parakala Prabhakar was with the Congress, and unsuccessfully contested assembly elections from Andhra Pradesh’s Narsapur on a Congress ticket, first in 1994 and then in 1996 (by-election).

Despite this, he “went on to develop close ties with former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao”, said a Times of India article.

Prabhakar later joined the BJP and contested the 1998 Lok Sabha elections from Narsapur, but lost again.

When cine star Chiranjeevi launched his Praja Rajyam Party in 2008, Prabhakar joined it, only to leave it soon after. He then joined as communications advisor to the Chandrababu Naidu government, with a cabinet rank. However, he resigned from the post in June last year after TDP broke away from the NDA, after questions were raised on his “integrity”, since his wife is a BJP minister.

Sitharaman’s father-in-law Parakala Seshavatharam, was a successful politician, and served as a minister several times in Congress governments in Andhra Pradesh. Mother-in-law Parakala Kalikamba was also a Congress MLA.

Also read: Nirmala Sitharaman’s answers do not explain Modi govt’s refusal to disclose Rafale details

Scathing attack

The defence minister had launched a scathing attack on the Congress president accusing the Gandhi “khaandaan” of “insulting” her and Prime Minister Narendra Modi because they come from a humble background.

“Having called the prime minister chor, have you ever apologised? I may come from an ordinary background. The prime minister may come from an ordinary background. But who gave you the right to call him that?” she had asked.

She also recalled Gandhi’s hug to Modi during the last Parliament session, followed by a wink. “It’s not only the prerogative of the khaandaan to protect itself. We have our honour intact… From hugging the PM and going back winking, is it not insulting the prime minister?” she asked.

“You shouted me down. You called me ‘jhoothi’ (liar),” she added.

Also read: Nirmala Sitharaman’s ‘modernisation’ drive must go beyond buying big weapons systems

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