Parli seat: It’s Munde vs Munde again

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has fielded Dhananjay Munde, who is at present leader of opposition in the state Legislative Council, from Parli constituency in Beed district, setting up his possible clash with cousin and Cabinet minister Pankaja Munde yet again.

In 2014 elections, the estranged siblings had contested against each other from Parli and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Pankaja had defeated Dhananjay by over 25,000 votes. While she had polled 96,000 votes, Dhananjay could secure only 71,000 votes.

Dhananjay was close to late  BJP leader Gopinath Munde, father of Pankaja. But in 2013, he walked out on his uncle and joined the NCP.

Subsequently, NCP president Sharad Pawar made his the leader of opposition in the State Legislative Council.

Since then, the intra-family feud between the brother and his cousin sister has grown manifold.

Dhananjay has been desperately trying to end the dominance of Pankaja, who is a minister for women and child development, over Beed district.

Besides, Mr Pawar also announced other candidates in the Beed district.

From Georai, he fielded Vijaysinha Pandit, son of Shivajirao Pandit, while Namita Mundada, daughter-in-law of late party MLA Vimal Mundada wi-ll contest from Kaij (SC) assembly constituency.

In Beed Assembly constituency, the NCP has decided to field Sandip Kshirsagar, nephew of Shiv Sena minister Jaydutta Kshirsagar.

The party has decided to bet on Prakash Solankhe, son of late Sund-arrao Solankhe, former deputy chief minister from  Majalgaon.