NCP minister Atram's daughter joins Pawar's party, could contest against her father

The move signals a rebellion within the Atram family, with Bhagyashri likely to contest from Aheri constituency in the Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district

Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events, Bhagyashri Atram, daughter of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Dharamraobaba Atram, joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) on Thursday, setting the stage for a potential electoral battle against her own father.

Dharamraobaba Atram is a four-time MLA and the state’s food and drugs administration (FDA) minister. HT Photo

The move signals a rebellion within the Atram family, with Bhagyashri likely to contest from the Aheri assembly constituency in the Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district—the same seat her father represents. This development could lead to an unprecedented father-daughter face-off in Maharashtra's upcoming state assembly elections.

The Atrams, descendants of tribal royalty, have long been influential in state politics. Dharamraobaba Atram, once considered a close ally of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, shifted his allegiance to Ajit Pawar during the party split last June, subsequently securing a position as Minister for Food and Drugs Administration.

Bhagyashri's decision to join the NCP (SP) was marked by a large gathering attended by state NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil and senior leader Anil Deshmukh, former home minister. The event was part of the state-wide 'Shiv Swarajya Yatra', a campaign launched in anticipation of the assembly polls.

He added, "She and her followers have decided to again work for Pawar saheb. It's time for all of us to work to strengthen Pawar saheb once again."

Bhagyashri, no novice to politics, has been active for over a decade. She previously served as president of the Gadchiroli Zilla Parishad in 2011 and contested the 2014 assembly elections from the Gadchiroli constituency on an NCP ticket, albeit unsuccessfully.

The rift within the Atram family draws parallels to another royal family dispute—that of the Kolhapur lineage. Congress MP Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has been embroiled in a bitter tussle with his son, Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, who recently formed a new party, Swarajya Sangathana, to contest the assembly elections.

In a conversation with Hindustan Times on 8 September, Bhagyashri had hinted at her political intentions: "I am planning to contest the upcoming elections from the Aheri assembly seat. I will not be able to disclose more about it as of now."

As Maharashtra's political landscape continues to evolve, the Atram family drama adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming electoral contest, potentially redefining familial and political loyalties in the region.