Political dynasties dominate party lists in Maharashtra

THE BJP, SHIV SENA, CONGRESS AND NCP HAVE ALL FIELDED A NUMBER OF MEMBERS FROM KNOWN POLITICAL FAMILIES FOR OCTOBER 21 ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

MUMBAI: A look at the list of candidates of four major parties in Maharashtra shows that all of them have embraced political dynasties.

The most prominent of the political scions fighting the October 21 elections is Shiv Sena’s Worli candidate Aaditya Thackeray, son of party chief Uddhav and the first member of the Thackeray family to contest any election. The party has also fielded senior leader Ramdas Kadam’s Yogesh from Dapoli and Mumbai civic body’s standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav’s wife Yamini in Byculla.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate list, too, included the names of relatives of political bigwigs. The party denied a ticket to scam-tainted leader Eknath Khadse but fielded his daughter Rohini from Muktainagar. The party’s former state unit chief Raosaheb Danve’s son Santosh has been renominated from Bhokardan. The party denied renomination to sitting minister Vinod Tawde and fielded Sunil Rane in Borivli. Sunil’s father Datta Rane was a minister in the first Shiv SenaBJP government in the 90s.

Veteran Congress leader Manikrao Gavit’s son Bharat will fight from Navapur in Nandurbar while his daughter Nirmala was fielded by the Shiv Sena in Igatpuri in Nashik. Former minister Pandurang Phundkar’s son Aakash has been renominated from Khamgaon. Former chief minister Narayan Rane’s son Nitesh is contesting from Kankavli in Sindhudurg on a BJP ticket after defecting from the Congress.

“After five years in the power, the entry of the next generation of leaders is bound to happen. The phenomenon is relatively new for the BJP and Shiv Sena but it has happened as both the parties are looking at elective merit of candidates, ”remarked a BJP leader, requesting anonymity.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s grand-nephew Rohit is in the fray from Karjat Jamkhed in Ahmednagar district. His uncle and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is fighting from Baramati. The NCP’s OBC [other backward class] face Chhagan Bhujbal and his son are in the fray from Yeola and Nandgaon, respectively.

In the Congress, former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s two sons Amit and Dhiraj are in the fray from two constituencies in Latur. Former CM Shivaji Patil Nilangekar’s son Ashok is in the fray from Nilanga, while former Bihar governor DY Patil’s grandson Ruturaj is fighting from Kolhapur South.

Experts said parties prefer the relatives of established politicians because these candidates can harness local support for their families, have manpower and financial resources to power their campaign. “At the end of the day, what matters for the party is whether they are winning the seat. It is now being accepted across all parties,”said a senior Congress leader who did not want to be named.

Political analyst Prakash Pawar said, “Political dynasties are witnessed across the globe. It will remain at least for decades in Maharashtra and India as we look at it as we have accepted the dynasty in every profession.”