Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, India TV.
Until the last moment of filing nominations for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, there was a dispute over the distribution of seats between Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayuti. The Congress hopes to win more than 105 seats, although the party has announced the names of 102 candidates. 84 candidates from Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and 82 candidates from NCP (Sharad) have declared themselves. The issue is deadlocked at 18 seats. The same is also true in Mahayuti. Candidates have been announced for a total of 260 Mahayuti seats, of which the BJP has fielded 146 candidates, Shinde’s Shiv Sena has fielded 65 candidates and Ajit Pawar’s party has fielded 49 candidates. There is still uncertainty regarding 28 seats.
On Monday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, former CM Ashok Chavan’s daughter Shree Jaya Chavan, Raj Thackeray’s son Amit Thackeray, Nawab Malik’s daughter Sana Malik, Baba Siddiqui’s son, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Many, leaders like Azmi filled the nomination papers. Sharad Pawar himself arrived to present the nomination of his grandson Yugendra Pawar against Ajit Pawar. During this period there were also reports of party rebellions.
This time the most interesting electoral battle will take place in Baramati. Sharad Pawar’s family is face to face. On Mahayuti’s side is Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar and on Mahavikas Aghadi’s side is Sharad Pawar’s grandson and Ajit Pawar’s nephew Yugendra Pawar. Ajit Pawar has been MLA in this seat since 1991, i.e. for 33 years in a row. He has won elections seven times, but this time for the first time he is contesting elections by breaking away from Sharad Pawar and forming a separate party.
Ajit Pawar went on tour on Monday. After filing the nomination, Ajit Pawar said that family disputes should be resolved within the four walls and this responsibility falls on the elders of the house. Ajit Pawar said that the mistake he had made by fielding his wife Sunetra against Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections, this time Sharad Pawar has made the same mistake by fielding Yugendra. Ajit Pawar said that he was punished for his mistake in the Lok Sabha elections, now the people of Baramati will punish Sharad Pawar in the assembly elections. After filing the nomination, Yugendra did not say anything about Ajit Pawar. He said that Sharad Pawar is his guru, guide and he will try to follow the path he shows him.
Supriya Sule said that in Baramati there is not a family fight but an ideological one. But the reality is that the fight is between families and the fight is close because Ajit Pawar has been winning this seat for 33 years. He prepared the PCN cadre in Baramati. This time he also has the support of BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. That’s why Ajit Pawar seems full of confidence. But Ajit Pawar knows that Sharad Pawar has been doing politics in Baramati since 1965, that is, for 59 years. He may be old, but he is your master in politics. He has proven this in the Lok Sabha elections and Yugendra’s candidature for the Assembly elections is the first move in Sharad Pawar’s electoral chess. Only he knows what Sharad Pawar will do next.
The Baramati result will be a turning point for Ajit Pawar’s political career, while for Sharad Pawar, Baramati is a matter of prestige. Only Baramati’s decision will decide whose real NCP is. That is why the Baramati elections will be interesting this time. Like Baramati, Mahavikas Aghadi has tried to corner Eknath Shinde in Thane. Eknath Shinde filed nomination for the Thane seat of Kopri Pachpakhari. For this post, Uddhav Shiv Sena has appointed Kedar Dighe, nephew of Eknath Shinde’s political guru Anand Dighe. Eknath Shinde stated that nothing is done just for the name, the public sees the work. Shinde showed his strength by doing a road show in Thane. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis was present in this procession.
Devendra Fadnavis said that one does not become an heir just because of blood relationship, the heir is the one who carries forward his idea and Eknath Shinde has done the work of carrying forward Anand Dighe’s idea. Eknath Shinde has been winning the Kopri Pachpakhari seat continuously since 2009. His victory margin has increased each time in all three elections. In the last elections he obtained more than sixty-five percent of the votes. Thane is considered the stronghold of Eknath Shinde.
This time the contest at the Mahim headquarters in Mumbai will also be interesting. Amit Thackeray, son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, is participating for the first time. Uddhav Thackeray has given ticket to Mahesh Sawant against Raj Thackeray’s son. Amit Thackeray also congratulated Uddhav Thackeray’s son and his cousin Aditya Thackeray, who is contesting from Worli, but Raj Thackeray’s family is angry that Uddhav has fielded a candidate against his nephew. In fact, when Aditya Thackeray contested the 2019 elections, Raj Thackeray did not field any candidate from Worli seat, but Uddhav did not. Therefore, Raj Thackeray’s wife Sharmila said that it is his tradition that he had given a step forward to Aditya, now if Uddhav did not follow that tradition, then MNS also fielded a candidate against Aditya from Worli this time.
This time in the Maharashtra elections very interesting images of family fights have been seen. Ajit Pawar, whom Sharad Pawar had named as his successor after winning the Baramati elections 33 years ago, now Sharad Pawar himself wants to defeat his grandson’s own Ajit Dada. It means who is the real grandfather of the Pawar family. Eknath Shinde, whom Anand Dighe named as his successor in Thane, is being challenged by Anand Dighe’s nephew. Raj Thackeray, who was considered Balasaheb Thackeray’s successor, his son is in the electoral field and his elder brother Uddhav is trying to defeat his nephew.
Raj Thackeray also fielded a candidate against his nephew Aditya Thackeray. The fight between brothers will be seen here in both places. Baba Siddiqui’s son Zeeshan will benefit from his father’s legacy and compassion. Her father’s case will pose problems for Sana Malik. Anil Deshmukh seeks votes for his son citing the case against him. In Maharashtra politics, sons, daughters, nephews, nieces and grandchildren are all in the fray and it is on both sides. That is why perhaps no one is talking about familialism in politics in these elections. (Rajat Sharma)
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