Kunal Raut bags most votes for post of youth Congress chief

Kunal Raut, the son of energy minister Nitin Raut, has been elected as the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief in Maharashtra, replacing Satyajit Tambe, nephew of revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat

Mumbai Kunal Raut, the son of energy minister Nitin Raut, has received the highest number of votes for the post of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief in Maharashtra. If elected, he will replace Satyajit Tambe, nephew of revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat.

Kunal secured the highest number of votes, 5,48,267 of the 1,405,739, in the internal elections to the body. This was followed by Shivaraj More (3,80,367) and Sharan Patil (2,46,695) (HT Photo)

Kunal secured the highest number of votes, 5,48,267 of the 1,405,739, in the internal elections to the body. This was followed by Shivaraj More (3,80,367) and Sharan Patil (2,46,695).

Sharan is the son of former minister and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Basavraj Patil. More, who started his career with the National Students Union of India (NSUI), was said to be supported by incumbent IYC state unit chief Satyajeet Tambe. There were 14 candidates in the fray.

The three are delegates for the position of state president. The final selection will be made later this month after an interview of the top three by the IYC central leadership. The other two will be appointed as vice-presidents.

In the election, a total of 19,04,567 votes were polled, of which around 14,05,739, were found to be valid.

These internal elections were launched over a decade ago in the IYC in an ambitious exercise to usher in much-needed internal democracy in the organisation and promote young blood in the ranks. However, these polls, which replaced the system of appointing office-bearers, have seen political dynasts pip ordinary workers.

Shivani Wadettiwar, the daughter of minister Vijay Wadettiwar, has been chosen as one of the general secretaries of the IYC. Yajnavalkya Jichkar, the son of late minister Dr Shrikant Jichkar, and Abhijit Chavan, the grandson of former minister Madhukarrao Chavan, were elected as the general secretaries.

The election process, which included nominations, enrolment of voters, and polling was launched on November 12 and completed on December 12. For the first time, the elections were conducted online, using an app-based system, where voters aged between 18 and 35 had to enrol as IYC members using documents to establish their identity, and then exercise their franchise. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged that Congress ministers had misused official machinery to enrol voters.

The Congress launched organisational elections in 2008 in the IYC and NSUI at senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s initiative. Like in Maharashtra, IYC elections have been conducted online in states like Punjab, Karnataka, Haryana, Gujarat, Telangana and Jharkhand and the process is underway in Tamil Nadu.

Since 2011, internal elections in Maharashtra saw Vishwajeet Kadam, the son of former minister late Patangrao Kadam, being elected as the president for two successive three-year terms. Satyajit Tambe defeated Amit, the son of former minister Subhash Zanak, and Kunal Raut. Zanak, a MLA from Risod, and Kunal, were appointed as the vice-presidents.

So far, three politicians from Maharashtra have helmed the IYC nationally, namely, Gurudas Kamat (1987-88), Mukul Wasnik (1988-90) and Rajiv Satav (2010-14).