Relatives, gen-next leaders galore in Maharashtra

A host of gen-next leaders and kin of high-profile politicians have entered the 13th Maharashtra Assembly, a clear indication that dynastic politics is here to stay.

A majority of the winners from political families are either from the Congress or the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena. But there have been some major upsets.

The biggest shock of the day was former chief minister Narayan Rane losing the Kudal-Malvan seat. His son Nitesh, however, managed to win the Kankavli seat. Similarly, NCP heavyweight Ganesh Naik lost from Belapur, but his son Sandeep managed to win in Airoli.

Ashok Nilangekar, son of former chief minister Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar, lost the “family” seat of Nilanga.

Former chief minister Ashok Chavan, who is a Congress MP from Nanded, got a boost when his wife, Ameeta, won the Bokhar family. Chavan is the son of former chief minister and ex-home minister S B Chavan. Chavan is also one of the two Congress MPs who won the Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra.

The Late Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja Munde-Palve won the family seat of Parli. Her sister Dr Pritam Munde-Khade won the Beed Lok Sabha by-poll by a record margin.

Pankaja and Pritam are cousins of Mumbai North Central MP Poonam Mahajan Rao, the daughter of the late Pramod Mahajan.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar retained the Baramati seat. The former Union minister's daughter Supriya Sule had won the Lok Sabha poll from Baramati, while Pawar is a Rajya Sabha MP.

Former President Pratibha Patil’s son Raosaheb Shekawat lost from Amravati. He was defeated by BJP's Sunil Deshmukh. In 1999, Deshmukh was denied a ticket by the Congress and Shekawat ended up winning the seat.

NCP strongman Chhagan Bhujbal won from his bastion of Yeola, while his son Pankaj won the neighbouring Nandgaon seat, both in Nashik.

Bahujan Vikas Aghadi chief Hitendra Thakur won the Vasai seat for the fifth time and his son Kshitij also bagged the neighbouring Nallasopara seat, both in Thane.
Son of veteran Congress leader and Bihar Governor D Y Patil’s sons–Satej Patil (Congress) from Kolhapur South and Ajeenkya Patil (Shiv Sena) from Karad South–lost the polls.

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare’s nephew Avdhoot won the polls from Raigad district, while former minister Madhukar Pichad’s son Vaibhav won from Akole in Ahmednagar district. 

State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre’s son Rahul lost from Yavatmal, while Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar’s son Amit lost the Kaldivli East seat.