Dynasty rules the roost in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The 14th Legislative Assembly will see at least 27 MLAs belonging to prominent political families.

Among the prominent ones are the Deshmukh brothers – Amit and Dhiraj — and the Shinde brothers – Babanrao and Sanjay.

Amit and Dhiraj are the sons of former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Amit recorded a hat trick of victories from Latur City constituency. Dhiraj, who contested for the first time, won from Latur Rural constituency.

In Solapur district, NCP’s Babanrao Shinde was elected winner from Madha for the sixth consecutive time. His brother, Sanjay, contesting from the neighbouring Karmala constituency as an Independent, emerged victorious in a close fight.

Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray became the first member of the Thackeray family to contest elections. He won by a comfortable margin from Worli constituency.

NCP’s Pawars, another powerful family in state politics, will have two of its members in the new Assembly. While Ajit Pawar scored a massive victory in Baramati, his nephew, Rohit, would enter the Assembly from Karjat-Jamkhed.

Rana Jagjitsingh Patil, the nephew of Ajit’s wife Sunetra, won from Tuljapur on a BJP ticket.

In a fiercely fought battle, NCP’s Dhananjay Munde defeated his estranged cousin Pankaja in Parli. In another contest between cousins, Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar of the BJP defeated Congr-ess’Ashok Patil, son of former CM Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar in Nilanga.

In a battle between uncle and niece, NCP’s Sandeep Kshirsagar beat Sena’s Jaydutt Kshirsagar in Beed.

In Nashik, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal won from Yeola, but his son Pankaj lost from Nandgaon.

Aditi, the daughter of NCP MP Sunil Tatkare, was elected from Shrivardhan for the first time, whereas Praniti Shinde, the daughter of former CM Sushilkumar Shinde, won from Solapur for the third time.

Pratibha Dhanorkar, the wife of Congress MP Suresh Dhanorkar, won from Varora constituency in Chandrapur district. At Pusad in Yavatmal district, Indraneel, the son of NCP leader Manohar Naik, defeated his cousin Nilay Naik, who contested on a BJP ticket.

In Badnera, Independent MLA Ravi Rana, husband of MP Navneet Kaur Rana, won again, whereas in Tivasa, Congress’ Yashomati Thakur emerged victorious.

In the Sena camp, Yogesh Kadam, son of senior minister Ramdas Kadam, won from Dapoli, whereas, Sunil Raut, brother of MP Sanjay Raut, won from Vikhroli. In Kopri-Panchpakhadi, senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde won comfortably. His son Shrikant is an MP from Kalyan.

Bahujan Vikas Aghadi chief Hitendra Thakur and his son Kshitij won from Vasai and Nalasopara respectively.

In Kankavli, former CM Narayan Rane’s son Nitesh retained his seat as a BJP candidate, whereas Santosh Danve, the son of union BJP minister Raosaheb Danve, won from Jalna.

In Shirdi, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil emerged victorious on a BJP ticket. His son Sujay is an MP. From Colaba, Rahul Narwekar, the son-in-law of senior NCP leader Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, won on a BJP ticket.