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Amid focus on dynasty politics: Families clash in high-stakes Maharashtra assembly elections on November 20
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Amid focus on dynasty politics: Families clash in high-stakes Maharashtra assembly elections on November 20

As Maharashtra prepares for the state assembly elections on November 20, dynastic politics continues to make waves, with families pitting relatives against each other in several key constituencies. Amid accusations of promoting family-based political power, brothers, cousins, uncles and even husband and wife from rival parties will participate in the elections.

One of the most notorious family battles will take place in Baramati, the stronghold of the Pawar family. Yugendra Pawar, nephew of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, will challenge his uncle in the race for the Baramati seat. Yugendra is contesting as the candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), while Ajit Pawar, who won the Baramati assembly seat seven times, will represent the NCP.

This family clash follows a similar clash during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by her cousin Supriya Sule in the Baramati parliamentary seat.

In the neighboring Karjat-Jamkhed constituency, Rohit Pawar, another nephew of Ajit Pawar, is pitted against BJP’s Ram Shinde. Rohit is contesting as a CPN (SP) candidate and is the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar, the party’s patriarch.

Further west, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the race for the Kannad seat sees an unusual clash between Harshwardhan Jadhav, an independent candidate, and his ex-wife, Sanjana Jadhav, who is contesting as a Shiv Sena candidate. Sanjana is the daughter of former Union minister Raosaheb Danve, and her brother Santosh Danve is contesting from Bhokardan in Jalna as a BJP candidate.

In Latur, Amit Deshmukh and Dhiraj Deshmukh, sons of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, are contesting from the Latur City and Latur Rural seats respectively, representing the Congress Party.

Dynastic politics is also evident in the Rane family, with Nitesh Rane and Nilesh Rane, sons of BJP MP and former CM Narayan Rane, contesting from Kudal and Kankavli constituencies respectively. Nitesh Rane is contesting under the banner of Shiv Sena (UBT), while Nilesh is contesting as a BJP candidate.

In Mumbai, the Thackeray cousins ​​are also in the fray, each contesting from different seats. Aaditya Thackeray, the sitting MLA of Shiv Sena (UBT), is contesting again from Worli, while his maternal cousin Varun Sardesai is contesting from Bandra East as a Shiv Sena candidate. Another cousin, Amit Thackeray, son of Raj Thackeray (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief), is contesting against Mahim.

The contest also features Ganesh Naik, a former Maharashtra minister, running as the BJP candidate from Airoli, while his son Sandeep Naik is contesting from the neighboring Belapur seat as the NCP (SP) candidate.

In Nandurbar, Vijaykumar Gavit, a senior BJP leader, is contesting as an independent candidate from the neighboring Akkalkuwa constituency.

Another family battle is unfolding in Islampur, where NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil is contesting against his nephew Prajakt Tanpure, former Maharashtra minister, who is contesting for the party in Rahuri.

In Yevala, Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior NCP leader, is contesting as an independent candidate from Nandgaon.

BJP’s Ashish Shelar, president of the Mumbai unit, is contesting from Bandra West, while his brother Vinod Shelar is contesting from the Malad West seat.

In Nanded, a major contest involves BJP’s Santukrao Hambarde, who is contesting the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, while his brother, Mohanrao Hambarde, is contesting as a Congress candidate in the Nanded South assembly seat.

This family-centric electoral battleground reflects the lingering influence of dynastic politics in Maharashtra, where political legacies often run deep across generations. As voters head to the polls on November 20, these high-profile family rivalries will lead to a dramatic and fiercely contested election.

(With input from PTI)