Amit Shah aide’s kin eyes MLC post

After surprisingly inducting into the Union Cabinet Dr Subhash Bhamre as Member of Parliament from Dhule city, the BJP at the Centre has now offered candidature of member of state Legislative Council’s upcoming poll to Dr Bhamre’s close relative. It is said that Dr Bhamre’s relative, who is a bureaucrat in Gujarat, had helped party president Amit Shah.

Eleven members of the state Legislative Council are scheduled to retire on December 5 this year, including five from NCP, two each from Congress and BJP, and two independent members.

BJP had announced the name of its two candidates almost four months before the actual poll, with Dr Rajneet Patil, minister of state for home (urban) being one of the members due to retire on December 5. He was elected from Amravati Graduate constituency.

J.P. Nadda, secretary to the Central Election Committee of BJP, in a press release issued on Saturday, announced Dr Rajneet’s candidacy from the same Amravati constituency. Dr Prashant Patil will be the party candidate for Nashik Graduate constituency.

Prashant is son-in-law of the brother of BJP’s Union minister of state for defence, Subhash Bhamre. He lives in Nashik and is a business partner of Dr Pradeep Pawar. Dr Pawar had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Nashik as an Maharashtra Navnirman Sena candidate. Dr Prashant’s wife works as a doctor in Nashik Municipal Corporation.

Meanwhile, a close confidante of Dr Bhamre from Dhule revealed that it was a surprise for the people of Dhule and even for state BJP leaders when Dr Bhamre was inducted into the union Cabinet but it was his relationship with Mr Shah and PM Narendra Modi.

Dr Bhamre was selected as team leader of MPs in a foreign tour with the PM and the tour proved to be a turning point in his political career,” claimed the source.