Nepotism continues in Maharashtra zilla parishad polls as politicians’ relatives nudge out party workers

Kolhapur/Chhtrapati Sambhajinagar: After the municipal corporation elections, prominent politicians, sitting and former elected representatives, are now looking to get their close relatives elected in the zilla parishad elections, once again obstructing political workers from proving themselves.All political parties had claimed that local body elections are elections of the workers, and had assured that they would compensate for the hard work done by the workers to get them elected to Parliament and the state assembly. However, some politicians, after getting their family members elected to other local civic bodies, now wanted their relatives to be elected to the zilla parishads (ZPs).In Marathwda, the last day of filing nominations for the ZP and panchayat samiti elections on Wednesday threw up signs of rebellion within political families and highlighted the dominance of "kinship politics", with several politicians fielding close relatives and multiple candidates filing papers across party lines, setting the stage for intense bargaining ahead of scrutiny and withdrawal.Many political functionaries had started their journey by winning ZP elections, later becoming MLAs and MPs, ministers, and even chief minister. To cite one, late R R Patil was a Sangli ZP member; he then rose to become deputy chief minister.In Kolhapur, Sanika Awade, BJP MLA Rahul Awade's daughter and the daughter-in-law of Shirol MLA Rajendra Patil Yadravakar, has filed her nomination from BJP. Sanika Awade is the fourth generation from the Awade family to join politics. Her great-grandfather, Kallapanna Awade, was a Congress politician and a Union minister. Her grandfather, Prakash Awade, was also a minister, and her father, Rahul, is a first-time MLA who contested in his father's place.In Sangli, Dhanashri Lad, NCP (SP) MLA Arun Lad's daughter-in-law, is in the fray from Kundal on a BJP ticket. Against her, Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam's nephew and late Patangrao Kadam's grandson, Rushikesh, has filed a nomination. BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar's sister-in-law, Madhavi Bhramanand Padalkar, is also contesting the Sangli ZP election.In Satara, Shiv Sena MLA of Koregaon, Mahesh Shinde's wife, Priya Shinde, is in the fray on a BJP ticket. Minister and BJP MLA Jaykumar Gore's brother, Arun, is contesting on a BJP ticket, and Sonal, the wife of another brother, Shekhar, is contesting as an independent.In Solapur, BJP Akkalkot MLA Sachin Kalyanshetti got a ticket for his wife, Shambhavi. In the Nagar Parishad election, Kalyanshetti had fielded his brother, Milan, who won.One of the most striking developments came from Marathawada's Paranda assembly constituency in Dharashiv, where Dhananjay Sawant, nephew of MLA and former minister Tanaji Sawant, openly rebelled by filing nominations against his uncle-backed candidates. Dhananjay Sawant, backed by BJP, has entered the fray in both ZP and panchayat samiti constituencies in Paranda and Bhoom talukas, triggering talk of a stiff intra-family contest that could split traditional vote banks.Across Marathwada, nomination centres witnessed heavy crowds, long queues of vehicles and parallel filings by alliance partners, underscoring the fluid political situation at the grassroots. Despite announcements of alliances, Shiv Sena, BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi functionaries and workers filed nominations in large numbers, fuelling uncertainty over the final line-up until the withdrawal deadline.In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, former minister and Sillod MLA Abdul Sattar has fielded his younger son, Abdul Amer, from the Ambhai ZP group. MP Sandipan Bhumre's nephew, Shivraj Bhumre, is nominated from Pachod ZP group.Shiv Sena (UBT) announced candidates in 36 ZP groups and 75 panchayat samiti circles in the district, while Congress and Vanchit have also filed nominations as part of the opposition alliance. Former Sena (UBT) rural district chief Rajendra Rathod, who recently joined Shiv Sena, has fielded his daughter for the panchayat samiti seat in Soyagaon.In Jalna, former minister Arjun Khotkar is working hard to ensure the election of his daughter, Darshana, to the ZP. In Dharashiv, former MP Ravindra Gaikwad's wife, Usha, has been fielded for the ZP. Former MLA Gyanraj Chougule nominated his daughter for the panchayat samiti. In Nanded, MLA Balaji Kalyankar's son Suhas and district Shiv Sena chief Umesh Munde's son Yogesh have entered the ZP-Panchayat Samiti arena. In Hingoli, the family of MLA Santosh Bangar expanded its influence, with close relatives holding positions in municipal and rural institutions.Parbhani emerged as a standout case, with former minister Suresh Warpudkar's son, daughter-in-law and daughter contesting ZP seats from different groups and even different parties. The move drew criticism from party workers, especially after senior BJP functionary Vilas Babar, denied a ticket from Pokharni Nrusimha group, switched sides to contest on an NCP symbol, blaming internal manipulation.With scrutiny and withdrawals still pending, leaders across parties are bracing for intense negotiations to manage rebellion, alliance pressures and the growing backlash against dynastic politics at the grassroots.