Hyderabad: For decades, Baramati constituency has been the fortress of Sharad Pawar, who despite political storms towered over his rivals and stood tall in national politics. The constituency in Pune district, the native place of Pawar, has become synonymous with his family's name. Now, Pawar in his twilight years expects daughter Supriya Sule to carry his legacy.
Sharad Pawar was himself elected to the Lower House of the Parliament from the Baramati seat in 1984, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha polls. Supriya first contested the seat in 2009 and then got re-elected in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The mere mention of Pawar family 'spells magic' and the word resonates with voters of Baramati seat, which is made up of six Assembly constituencies - Daund, Indapur, Baramati, Purandar, Bhor and Khadakwasla. Even Ajit Pawar, who has now rebelled against his uncle Sharad, was elected from the seat. Changing times with the BJP's rise has changed many equations in Indian politics at a time when heavyweights from its rival parties are losing their seats due to saffron wave.
After Baramati, the second high-profile seat in the western region is Chinndwara in Madhya Pradesh. The seat is considered a bastion of Congress, thanks to its former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath.
Kamal Nath was first elected from Chinndwara in 1980 on Indian National Congress (Indira) ticket and then there was no stopping him as he was re-elected in 1989, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Congress.
Kamal Nath's wife Alka Nath was elected as an MP in the 1996 polls. In 2019, Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath was elected from Chhindwara. The only time the BJP managed to win the seat was in 1997 when Sunder Lal Patwa was elected, else it has been the fortress of Kamal Nath and his immediate kin. This time also, Congress has reposed faith in Nakul Nath, who is contesting against BJP's Vicky Bunty Sahu.
It remains to be seen if Supriya and Nakul, the successors of two big names of national politics can retain their seats amid the saffron wave.
Another constituency attached to a particular family in the western region is Beed in Maharashtra, currently represented by Pritam Munde. The Munde family is a force to reckon with Beed, though former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister late Gopinath Munde was elected as an MP for the first time in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
Munde was once again elected in the 2014 polls and after his demise, his daughter Pritam Munde was elected in the by-election and again in 2019, it was Pritam, who emerged victorious. This time, however, the JP Nadda-led party has given a ticket to Pritam's sister and former Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde.
The other family in Maharashtra which holds control over an entire city is the Thackeray family. Though Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray did not contest any election, his party wielded power over Mumbai, which has six seats in the Lok Sabha.
None of the members of the Thackeray family have contested the Lok Sabha polls, while former Maharashtra Chief Minister's son and Bal Thackeray's grandson Aaditya contested the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Elections and won from Worli constituency.
However, this time, it is likely that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray could be fielded from the Mumbai South constituency for the Lok Sabha polls.
There are two other families in Maharashtra politics who wield control over Nashik and Ratnagiri, Sindhudurag are Bhujbal and Rane. This time Union Minister and senior BJP leader Narayan Rane could be fielded from Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg while Maharashtra Minister and leader of NCP faction Chhagan Bhujbal could be fielded from Nashik seat.
