Terming ‘familial politics’ as a ‘big threat’ facing the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) of doing politics of familyism and appeasement. But the special thing is that when the Prime Minister was repeating his allegations of dynasticism on the opposition parties, at the same time the list of candidates released by BJP in Maharashtra was dominated by dynastic leaders. Let us tell you that the BJP’s move to retain 71 MLAs in the first list of 99 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections and to give tickets to relatives of influential leaders in some constituencies is risky in view of the poor performance in the general elections in this western state. Shows his initiative to escape. Shreejaya Chavan, daughter of former chief minister Ashok Chavan, who joined the BJP from the Congress, is one of the relatives of the regional satraps chosen by the BJP for the November 20 elections. Ashok Chavan had joined BJP before the Lok Sabha elections. Shrijaya, who has completed her law degree, will start her election from her father’s home constituency Bhokar in Nanded district. BJP has re-nominated Nitish Rane, son of former Union Minister and Konkan’s prominent leader Narayan Rane, as its candidate from Kankavali seat in Sindhudurg district.
Another political dynast to get the ticket is Amal Mahadik, younger brother of BJP Rajya Sabha member Dhananjay Mahadik. He will try to regain the Kolhapur South assembly seat he won in 2014. BJP has also approved the candidature of Santosh Danve, son of current MLA and former Union Minister Raosaheb Danve from Bhokardan constituency of Jalna district. Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar, grandson of former BJP minister and former Chief Minister Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar, has been fielded again from Nilanga constituency in Latur district. Other candidates related to prominent politicians include Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, son of senior politician Padmasinh Patil, close to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Rana’s wife Archana Patil had contested the Dharashiv Lok Sabha seat as an NCP candidate, but had to face defeat.
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Siddharth Shirole has been given the ticket again from Shivajinagar constituency in Pune. He is the son of former BJP MP Anil Shirole. In place of sitting MLA Ashwini Jagtap on Chinchwad seat, his brother-in-law Shankar Jagtap has been given the ticket. In Mumbai, BJP has fielded its city unit chief Ashish Shelar for the third time from Bandra West assembly constituency, while his brother Vinod Shelar will contest from Malad West seat. Vinod may face competition from sitting Congress MLA and former minister Aslam Shaikh, if he is given the ticket again. The BJP has retained 71 MLAs in the first list, including prominent faces like Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, ministers Girish Mahajan, Sudhir Mungantiwar and Chandrakant Patil.
Similarly, in Jharkhand also, BJP has given tickets to many people whose relatives are in politics. Taking a dig at this, senior Congress leader Ajay Kumar has said that family relations dominate in the country’s largest political party. Ajay Kumar asked whether giving party tickets to Purnima Das Sahu, daughter-in-law of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghuvar Das Sahu, Meera Munda, wife of former Union Minister Arjun Munda and Babulal Soren, son of former Chief Minister Champai Soren, does not come under the category of nepotism? The Congress leader taunted and said that BJP has presented a unique example of women empowerment by giving tickets to the daughters-in-law and wives of senior leaders.
