Gen-next to watch out for in Maharashtra politics

They come from different backgrounds though most of them are from political families – all unified by ambition and a forward looking approach in politics. They are equally well-versed with the politics of power and know why realpolitik matters. HT profiles some of the young players who are out there to bring about change

Over the past few years, Maharashtra’s politicians have been in the news for all the wrong reasons having traded their political ideologies for power. Alliances were formed to grab opportunities and splits engineered in parties to fulfil personal ambitions. People switched sides fearing action in corruption cases. We have seen three different governments being formed in a span of three-and-a-half years.

(HT Illustration)

This has impacted young politicians in the state. Some feel their political futures are at stake, while others are in a dilemma about which side to choose. For some, this comes as an opportunity to prove themselves.

They come from different backgrounds though most of them are from political families – all unified by ambition and a forward looking approach in politics. They are equally well-versed with the politics of power and know why realpolitik matters. HT profiles some of the young players who are out there to bring about change.

Rohit Pawar, 37

Political party: NCP (Pawar faction) | Mentor: Sharad Pawar, NCP chief

Grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar, Rohit was CEO of Baramati Agro, founded by his grand father Appasaheb Pawar, elder brother of the NCP chief, till 2017 when he entered the political fray by contesting zilla parishad in Pune district. After working as ZP member for two years, in 2019, he contested assembly elections from Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Ahmednagar outside the family’s pocket borough of Baramati and defeated BJP’s sitting MLA and then minister Ram Shinde.

Rohit is a fourth generation member of the Pawar family in politics. Following the split in the NCP led by Pawar’s nephew Ajit, Rohit is poised to play a bigger role in the party. He has been by Pawar’s side and was involved in damage control operation of the Pawar faction following the split.

An ambitious man, he is being mentored by Pawar himself. He is involved in the sugar sector and once was head of Indian Sugar Mills Association – this will help him in the politics of western Maharashtra where the sugar cooperative plays an important role.

He is active on social media and minces no words in criticising the ruling BJP on its policies and matters related to state. With a significant chunk of leaders from NCP toeing BJP’s line, the opposition secular space is an opportunity for young leaders. Rohit could fit the bill.

Rohit Pawar comes across as a modest and cultured politician. He is articulate and has shown political acumen which could make him a long-term player in Maharashtra politics. The current situation provides him a good opportunity to show his organisational and leadership skills. His future will depend on how he performs now. He will also have to face a strong force in the BJP-Ajit Pawar combine, saidHemant Desai, analyst.

Shrikant Eknath Shinde, 36

Political party: Shiv Sena | Mentor: Eknath Shinde, father and chief minister

An orthopaedic surgeon, Shrikant Shinde had no wish to join politics till his father’s party was locked in a tussle with BJP over the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat. Eknath Shinde who was Thane district Shiv Sena chief then accepted the challenge to win Kalyan constituency and fielded Shrikant as party candidate in 2014.

Shrikant largely kept to himself as MP till his father rebelled against Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. According to Sena insiders, Shrikant played a key role as the coup was planned and executed. After Shinde became chief minister and also got control of real Shiv Sena, Shrikant has become an undisputed number two in his camp. He handles multiple responsibilities, including building the party in Mumbai and preparing for civic polls. With Ajit Pawar-led NCP joining the Shiv Sena-BJP combine, Shrikant will have to rise up to the challenge.

In his first term as MP, Shrikant did not have much responsibility and he was limited to Kalyan and Dombivali. After Shinde became CM, Shrikrant has taken responsibility of expanding the party. He is one of the prominent leaders in the new generation, said Abhay Deshpande, analyst.

Praniti Shinde, 42

Political party: Congress | Mentor: Father and senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde

Three-term MLA from Solapur city, Praniti Shinde won her first assembly election in 2009. Her connect with voters in her constituency combined with the goodwill and election management skill of her father Sushil Kumar Shinde played an important role in her victory.

Praniti started her political journey in 2004, assisting her mother Ujjwala Shinde who was candidate for Solapur Lok Sabha constituency. Later she assisted her father in the campaign for assembly elections in 2004. As her father moved to national politics as union minister, she contested from a newly created Solapur city central constituency post delimitation, and entered the assembly for the first time. She has a good rapport with communities in her area, but is yet to create an identity as a state level leader.

She is a people’s person. Her understanding of contemporary challenges and issues faced by the gen-next is good. She is capable of becoming a promising leader in Congress but has failed to create a profile of a state-level leader, said Abhay Deshpande, analyst.

Dhiraj Vilasrao Deshmukh, 43

Political party: Congress | Mentor: Father Vilasrao Deshmukh and uncle Diliprao Deshmukh

Dhiraj, the youngest son of former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, operated his family businesses in the dairy and entertainment sectors, from his Lower Parel office until his father’s death in 2012.

He was elected as a member of the district council in Latur in 2017. In 2019, Dhiraj, an MBA from a London-based business school, was declared Congress candidate along with his elder brother and former minister Amit, who was the party’s candidate from neighbouring Latur city. Allegedly, Deshmukh family’s relations with leaders from rival Shiv Sena and BJP helped them win the seat. It is believed in the district that Sena and BJP exchanged Latur Rural with neighbouring Ausa as part of the division of seats between the two alliance partners to help Dhiraj.

Last year, the state government had ordered an inquiry into Dhiraj’s involvement in the Latur District Central Cooperative Bank allotting ₹116 crore to a newly-formed agro company by actor Riteish Deshmukh. Dhiraj is the chairman of the bank and the actor is his elder brother.

Dhiraj was served everything on a platter thanks to his legacy. Earlier, he was inaccessible as a leader, but he has mended his ways since – he was seen visiting the farmers in their fields after the downpour early this year which had resulted in heavy crop losses, said Arun Samudre, analyst.\

Amol Kolhe, 42

Political party: NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) | Mentor: Ajit Pawar

On a day when Ajit Pawar and eight others took oath as minister in Maharashtra cabinet last week, NCP MP from Shirur Amol Kolhe was present at the ceremony. To every one’s surprise, in a few hours he switched over to Sharad Pawar’s faction to emerge a key leader.

In the nephew-uncle battle, the story of the doctor-turned-actor-turned politician is as curious as his rise in politics. After starting his political career with Shiv Sena in 2014, Kolhe switched to NCP within five years and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Shirur with Ajit Pawar on his side. Riding high on popularity due to his role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji in a popular TV soap, Kolhe scored a dramatic victory and defeated three-time Shiv Sena MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil.

The win made him not just an MP but a star campaigner in subsequent assembly elections. His public rallies drew more crowd than those of Sharad Pawar. In next five years, Kolhe remained with NCP but his statements and moves always fuelled speculations that he may be heading to BJP. After NCP’s recent crisis, Kolhe claimed he stood by Pawar on moral grounds, although political observers term this a calculative move.

Kolhe has always looked for a bigger role in politics. In the current scenario, he is best placed to fulfil that ambition. At the same time, going with Sharad Pawar has assured his re-nomination in the coming polls from Shirur as the space on the other side is crowded, said Abhay Deshpande, analyst.

Rohit Patil, 24

Political party: NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) | Mentor: Ajit Pawar

Historically, whenever there is a major churn in politics, it creates space for politicians from younger generation. Rohit Pawar, son of late NCP leader RR Patil, is no exception as he hopes to consolidate his position in the current political scenario, five years after embarking on his political journey.

When RR Patil passed away in 2015, Rohit was merely 17. The untimely exit of his father did not deter Rohit, who learnt the art of politics within a few years. RR Patil, a protégé of Sharad Pawar, had risen from the ranks. Many see Patil’s reflection in Rohit as his speeches are applauded, reminiscent of his father. After Ajit Pawar exited the party along with a majority of legislators, Rohit was among first to offer his support to Sharad Pawar.

While his father’s name and legacy helped him initially, Rohit also had to struggle hard like him. He will turn 25 next year, and be eligible to contest elections.

In the past, Sharad Pawar introduced many new faces in politics by giving them an opportunity to fight polls. In the ongoing crisis, there is bigger space for politicians like Rohit and Pawar senior will definitely look at him to fill that space, said Abhay Deshpande, analyst.

Niranjan Davkhare, 44

Political party: BJP | Mentor: Father and NCP leader, former deputy chairperson of council, late Vasant Davkhare

Niranjan Davkhare is a young BJP legislator from Thane who was elected to the legislative council from Konkan Graduates constituency. His father, late Vasant Davkhare, was NCP leader and deputy speaker of council for more than a decade.

Niranjan started his political journey in the NCP youth wing and was made the member of legislative council subsequently. He exited the party in 2018, after the death of his father Vasant Davkhare, following differences with NCP leader Jitendra Awhad. After joining BJP, he was appointed the Thane district president. He also won the MLC elections as BJP candidate from Konkan Graduates constituency.

Like his father, Niranjan maintains cordial relations with leaders from other parties. A soft spoken and down-to-earth politician, he is often seen travelling in local trains for party work. Though he keeps a low profile, he recently took on chief minister Eknath Shinde after a BJP worker was assaulted by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena workers.

Political observers however feel that he lacks dynamism which BJP needs to grow in Thane – a known Shiv Sena bastion. Niranjan is well networked but may face competition next year.

Unlike other new entrants in BJP, Niranjan Davkhare has not courted controversy. While his father was a known politician, Niranjan is still struggling to make an impression as a leader in Thane. In future he may be seen as a committed organisational party worker in Thane instead of a dynamic BJP leader, said Hemant Desai, analyst.

Satyajeet Tambe Patil, 39

Political party: Independent | Mentor: Father and former MLC Sudhir Tambe and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat

Known for his organisational skills and relations across political parties, Satyajeet Tambe, son of former MLC Sudhir Tambe, has kept everyone guessing after a display of proximity with the BJP and suspension from the Congress.

A young member of the legislative council, he hit headlines during the council election as he and his father Sudhir Tambe allegedly misled the Congress over the candidature. Congress had given candidature to Sudhir Tambe, however, the father-son duo decided to file Satyajeet’s nomination as an Independent.

Satyajeet aspired to become the successor of his uncle Balasaheb Thorat. Meanwhile, Thorat started promoting his daughter Jayashree in Sangamner. This led to the fallout and fuelled a family dispute over political legacy. During election, BJP openly displayed proximity with Satyajeet. In fact, Devendra Fadnavis called him a promising youth leader, indicating the party’s eyes were on him.

Satyajeet Tambe’s network across the parties was his strength, but it turned into a problem for him as he was confused in choosing his path during the MLC elections. To do justice to his capacities, Satyajeet would have to choose a path before general elections in 2024, said Padmabhushan Deshpande, analyst.

Aditi Tatkare, 35

Political party: NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) | Mentor: Sunil Tatkare, father and senior NCP leader

Aditi Tatkare hails from Roha taluka of Raigad district. Educated in Mumbai, she cut her political teeth under the guidance of her father and Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare who is a senior leader of NCP and now state president of the Ajit Pawar faction.

Aditi began with Rashtravadi Yuvati Congress, the party’s wing for young women led by NCP MP Supriya Sule. In 2017, she contested district council or Zilla Parishad elections in Raigad district. In her first chance, she was also elected as president of the ZP, thanks to her father’s influence. It gave her exposure in district level politics and governance. She contested the 2019 assembly elections from Shrivardhan assembly in Raigad district and won against Shiv Sena’s Vinod Ghosalkar.

As NCP became part of MVA government, the first time MLA was made a junior minister. She however earned praises for her work as guardian minister of Raigad district for relief work during flood and landslides in Cyclone Tauktae in 2021.

She joined the rebellion led by Ajit Pawar against NCP chief Sharad Pawar and was inducted as a cabinet minister alongwith heavyweights such as Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal. She is the only woman minister in the CM Shinde-led cabinet.

Aditi Tatkare is young, dashing, pushy and energetic. It is yet to be tested how she does as a minister and independent politician. At present, she is under firm support of her father, said Rajendra Sathe, analyst.

Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, 40

Political party: BJP | Mentor: Father Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and grandfather Balasaheb Vikhe Patil

Ahmednagar’s BJP MP Sujay Vikhe-Patil is among the more aggressive political faces in state politics. He was so determined to contest Lok Sabha in 2019 from his native district Ahmednagar, that he compelled his father to join BJP by defecting from Congress.

The 31-year old neurosurgeon was a farmer-industrialist by profession when he entered the 17th Lok Sabha at 27. Though Sujay was firm on contesting LS election from Ahmednagar, the seat was with NCP as part of their seat-sharing adjustment with the Congress. Sujay’s father, then leader of the opposition in the legislative assembly requested Sharad Pawar for the swap, which was denied. This resulted in Sujay joining BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. He has a good rapport with union home minister Amit Shah.

As the political heir of the family, Sujay has a bright future, but he needs to be more patient and soft-spoken. He was not keen on politics, but on realising that political clout helps prosper educational institutions (which he was running), he stepped in, said Yogesh Kute, analyst.