Ties that bind — Nepotism to the fore in Maharashtra polls

MUMBAI, SEPT 7: Divided they may be while fighting the electoral battle, but Congress, BJP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the thre...

MUMBAI, SEPT 7: Divided they may be while fighting the electoral battle, but Congress, BJP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the three main players in poll arena in Maharashtra, seem to have reached a consensus of sorts while fielding kin of senior party leaders in September’s elections.

The Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are witnessing a plethora of relatives of political bigwigs from all the three major political formations in the State in the poll fray.

Congress, which had governed the State till 1995, dominates the list of honours’ as far as distribution of party’s Lok Sabha and Assembly nominations to sons and other kin of senior party functionaries is concerned.

For example, in five of the seven Assembly constituencies in Aurangabad where former chief minister A R Antulay is Congress Lok Sabha nominee, the party has given tickets to sons of former Congress MPs or ministers.

These include Krishna Dongaonkar, son of former Congress MP, Sahebrao Patil Dongaonkar, from Gangapur, Appasaheb Patil, son of former party MP Ramkrishnababa Patil, from Paithan, Nitin Patil, son of former party MP Suresh Patil, from Kannad, Rangnath Kale, son of former Congress minister Baburao Kale, from Sillod and Rajendra Darda, son of former Congress minister Jawaharlal Darda, from Aurangabad (west).

In Baramati Assembly constituency, Ajit Pawar, nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, is seeking re-election, as an as NCP nominee. Sharad Pawar is contesting Baramati Lok Sabha seat.

Bhaskarrao Patil Khatgaonkar, son-in-law of former union home minister, S B Chavan, is Congress nominee from Nanded Lok Sabha seat while Ashok Chavan, son of S B Chavan, is Congress candidate from Mukhed Assembly seat.

Story continues below this ad

Madan Bhosle, son of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Prataprao Bhosle, is party’s nominee from Wai Assembly seat.

Prakash Awade, son of former Congress MP, Kallappa Awade, is Congress nominee from Ichalkaranji Assembly seat. His father is seeking re-election from Ichalkaranji Lok Sabha seat.

Satyajit Deshmukh, son of former Congress minister Shivajirao Deshmukh, is Congress nominee from Shirala Assembly seat. Shivajirao is now a member of State Legislative Council.

Ashok Kale, son of former Congress MP, Shankararao Kale, is Congress candidate from Kopargaon Assembly seat.

Story continues below this ad

Chiman Dange, son of BJP leader and senior state cabinet minister Anna Dange, is BJP nominee from Sangli Lok Sabha seat Anna Dange had unsuccessfully contested the Sangli Lok Sabha seat last year.

Shalinitai Patil, widow of former Congress chief minister Vasantdada Patil, is NCP nominee from Koregaon Assembly seat.

Vikas Sawant, son of former Congress minister Bhai Sawant, is Congress nominee from Sawantwadi Assembly seat.

Rajiv Rajale, son of former Congress MLA, Appasaheb Rajale, is Congress candidate from Pathardi Assembly seat.