As Maharashtra Election 2024 heats up, a look at intense rivalries within families – from couples to cousins

Yugendra Pawar, the candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), is pitched against his uncle and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the rival NCP faction, in the traditional family stronghold of Baramati in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election.

In Karjat-Jamkhed seat, Rohit Pawar, another nephew of Ajit Pawar, is in the fray as the NCP (SP) candidate against BJP's Ram Shinde. Rohit Pawar is the grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar.

Even as parties accuse each other of promoting dynastic politics, the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls will see members of the same family taking on each other in some seats in the high-stakes assembly polls.

While a husband and wife are contesting against each other in one constituency, an uncle is pitted against his nephew in other making it a contest within the family.

Battle of Pawars in Baramati

Debutant Yugendra Pawar, the candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, will take on his uncle and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, representing the NCP, in Baramati seat. Ajit Pawar has won the Baramati assembly poll seven times and also once bagged the Baramati parliamentary seat.

This is the second time that Baramati, the bastion of Pawars, will see a contest within the family. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the deputy CM's wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by his cousin and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule in the Baramati parliamentary seat.

In neighbouring Karjat-Jamkhed, Rohit Pawar, another nephew of Ajit Pawar, is running as the NCP (SP) candidate against BJP's Ram Shinde. Rohit Pawar is the grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar.

In the Kannad constituency in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, independent candidate Harshwardhan Jadhav is pitted against his estranged wife and Shiv Sena candidate Sanjana Jadhav, the daughter of BJP leader and former Union minister Raosaheb Danve.

Sanjana Jadhav's brother Santosh Danve is contesting from Bhokardan in Jalna as the BJP candidate.

Congress candidates Amit Deshmukh and Dhiraj Deshmukh, sons of former state chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, are in the poll race from Latur City and adjoining Latur Rural seats, respectively.

Voting will take place in a single phase on November 20 in 288 seats of the Maharashtra legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted on November 23.

The battle for Maharashtra is largely bipolar between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in alliance with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena under the ruling Mahayuti banner. The Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the Congress are part of the opposition Maha MVA alliance.

In another contest, Nitesh Rane and Nilesh Rane, sons of BJP MP and former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane, are in the fray from Kudal and Kankavli constituencies as Shiv Sena and BJP nominees, respectively.

Thackeray cousins in the fray

In Mumbai, the Thackeray cousins are in the fray from different seats.

While Shiv Sena (UBT) sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray is contesting again from Worli, his maternal cousin Varun Sardesai is contesting from Vandre (Bandra) East assembly seat on the party's ticket.

Aaditya's cousin Amit Thackeray, the son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena head Raj Thackeray, is contesting from neighbouring Mahim seat in Mumbai.

Former Maharashtra minister Ganesh Naik is contesting from Airoli seat as a BJP candidate, while his son Sandeep is in the fray from the neighbouring Belapur constituency as NCP (SP) candidate.

Similarly, Maharashtra minister Vijaykumar Gavit and his daughter and former MP Heena Gavit are also in the poll race.

While senior Gavit is contesting as the BJP candidate from Nandurbar seat, his daughter is in the fray from neighbouring Akkalkuwa constituency as an independent.

In Islampur, NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil is in the fray, while his nephew and former Maharashtra minister Prajakt Tanpure is contesting from Rahuri on the party's ticket.

NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal is contesting from Yevala, while his nephew and former MP Sameer Bhujbal is in the fray from Nandgaon seat as an independent.

As the November 20 polling nears, the stakes have never been higher in Maharashtra. As key players vie for control in one of the wealthiest states of the country, the election is more than just a battle for power. It is a test of family legacies for many and a battle for political surival for others.

BJP's Mumbai president Ashish Shelar is in the fray from Mumbai's Vandre (Bandra) West, a constituency known to be the home of several Bollywood personalities, while his brother and party candidate Vinod Shelar is contesting from Malad West.

(With PTI inputs)