Not just Pawars, Maharashtra Lok Sabha polls in for several family feuds

NCP faction nominates family members against each other in Maharashtra LS polls, stirring political tensions. Ajit Pawar aims to control Baramati seat.

MUMBAI: On Thursday, the Ajit Pawar faction of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) nominated Archana Patil, daughter-in-law of former minister Padmasinh Patil, against her brother-in-law and sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Omprakash Rajenimbalkar in the Osmanabad constituency. Around 175-km away in Baramati, Padmasinh’s sister Sunetra Pawar is taking on her sister-in-law and sitting MP from NCP (SP) Supriya Sule.

NCP leader Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar meet at a temple in Baramati tehsil in Pune district on March 8, 2024. (PTI)

While the impending confrontation between the two women from the Pawar family in the state’s sugar bowl has stoked the electorate’s curiosity, Archana Patil’s unexpected entry in the fray has heightened an already charged political atmosphere.

Archana was fielded from the constituency after being inducted into the party when her husband and sitting Tulajapur MLA Rana Jagjitsinh Patil backed out. Rana was defeated by Omprakash in the 2019 LS polls. Cousins Rana and Omprakash took on each other in the assembly elections in 2009 and 2014. While Rana won in 2014, Omprakash won in 2009.

Omprakash Rajenimbalkar has been renominated by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena.

The feud between Rana and Omprakash stems from the murder of Pawan Rajenimbalkar, cousin of Padmasinh Patil, in June 2006. At the time Padmasinh faced the charge of killing Pawan. It was alleged that Padmasinh had hatched the murder conspiracy out of political rivalry.

On the Supriya-Sunetra face-off, an NCP leader noted that this was a first in the Pawar family. “Sharad Pawar had strategically defined roles for the 100-plus members of the family for decades ensuring that no lines are crossed. When his brother wished to contest elections a few decades ago when Pawar was an established politician, the latter offered to quit politics,” he said.

Winds of change have impacted the party’s fortunes since then. Pawar’s nephew Ajit split the party in 2023 and joined the BJP-led coalition ruling the state. He is now determined to wrest control of the Baramati constituency and fielded his wife with an aim to defeat his cousin Supriya, three-time MP from the Pawar family bastion.

Ramraje Naik Nimbalakar, former chairman of legislative council and leader of Ajit Pawar led-NCP, has opposed the renomination of his nephew Ranjitsinh Nimbalkar by BJP from Madha, spread in Solapur and Satara districts. Ramraje is batting for his brother, Sanjivraje Nimbalkar.

On the other hand, Prakash and Anandraj Ambedkar, grandsons of Dr BR Ambedkar, have had a history of rivalry. After working with his elder brother and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash, Anandraj formed his own outfit Republican Sena and jumped into the electoral fray from Amravati, which is an SC reserved seat. Prakash is the VBA candidate from Akola. Anandraj had appealed for his support, but on Thursday withdrew his nomination blaming Prakash, for extending his support late. He said he had backed out because he did not want a split in anti-BJP votes.

In Jalgaon, after announcing to fight the LS polls, NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse dragged his feet, citing health issues. He then changed his mind about contesting in order to avoid confrontation with his daughter-in-law and sitting BJP MP Raksha Khadse. He is now expected to return to BJP – his clout in north Maharashtra will help when he backs Raksha’s campaign.

Kolhapur-based political analyst Prakash Pawar noted, “The fight in Baramati is different from Osmanabad. Sunetra has been pitted against Supriya because of Ajit Pawar’s political ambition, while the candidates in Osmanabad have enmity for many years. In Baramati, sympathy and emotive appeal is in Supriya’s favour, but Ajit Pawar’s electoral skill may play in Sunetra’s favour.”