Lok Sabha polls 2024: Shivaji descendants throw hat in the ring

Mumbai: The descendants of the legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have thrown their hat into the ring ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Hectic activities could be witnessed in Kolhapur and Satara in Western Maharashtra, which houses the two royal seats.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has thrown its weight behind Shrimant  Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, the 12th descendent of  Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and grandson of Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu of Kolhapur, the legendary democrat and social reformer closely associated with Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. 

The 76-year-old Shrimant Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj is highly respected across Maharashtra. 

Shrimant Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati’s candidature would be supported by MVA allies - Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SCP).

His son Yuvraj Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj, was also keen, however, he withdrew after the MVA backed his father Shrimant Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj. It remains to be seen which of the three parties will give him the ticket. Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati was a President-nominated Rajya Sabha member.

He had floated Swarajya Sangathan and was travelling extensively across the state. It may be recalled that the undivided  Shiv Sena, then headed by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had offered him to join the party and contest the June 2022 Rajya Sabha polls; however, Sambhaji Raje declined.

On the other hand, in Satara, Udayan Raje Bhosale, who is the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj, is also keen to contest the polls. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he won the seat contesting from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP; however, he resigned to join the BJP. In the bye-elections, he was defeated by Shrinivas Patil, a former IAS officer and a close friend of Pawar. The BJP later made him a Rajya Sabha member.

While Udayan Raje has made his desire clear to the BJP high command, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is contemplating to nominate Purushottam Jadhav, who is Satara district unit president of the party. Udayan Raje is in touch with BJP's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.