Revolt in top families shakes poll ground

KOLHAPUR: The Congress-NCP alliance is likely to receive a major jolt with family feuds in two politically powerful families in Maharashtra - Pawar and Vikhe Patil coming out in the open. Even Ranjitsinh, son of NCP heavyweight from Solapur district and sitting MP from Madha - Vijaysinh Mohite, is likely to join BJP.
Day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar withdrew from Lok Sabha contest and gave green light to the candidature of Ajit Pawar's son Parth from Maval, his other grandnephew, Rohit Pawar, publicly appealed to his grandfather to reconsider his decision to withdraw from the contest.
Hours after Pawar's decision to withdraw from LS contest from Madha, Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil met BJP minister Girish Mahajan, who has emerged as new successful negotiator for the party.
Ranjitsinh tried to undermine his meeting with Mahajan, but it has raised several speculations in the political circles. 'I met Mahajan in connection with some pending works of the sugar factory. It has nothing to do with politics. I had met few other BJP leaders recently for the same work," he told TOI.
When asked whether he or his father were in the race for Madha seat, Ranjitsinh said that all the decisions would be taken by Pawarsaheb. "I have nothing to say about it", he said.
BJP sources said the meeting with Ranjitsinh was purely "political". BJP had opened talks with sitting the Mohite-Patil family after initial signs that Pawar would contest from Madha.
BJP sources claimed that the Mohite-Patil family was feeling suffocated in NCP as it was being systematically sidelined by the party leaders. BJP sources said that strength of Mohite-Patil family in addition to BJP can be successful winning formula in Madha.
Ranjitsinh was the first president of youth wing of NCP Maharashtra unit. He was appointed to the Rajya Sabha in 2009 after Supriya Sule resigned following her victory in Lok Sabha election. Ranjitsinh, however, was not re-nominated for Rajya Sabha after his term in 2012. Mohite-Patil carries a long-time grudge against a section of NCP leaders.
Rohit Pawar's Facebook post in Marathi on Tuesday morning created a sensation in the political circles, as it clearly hinted to difference of opinion in the Pawar family. Speaking to the media on Monday, Pawar said that he had decided against contesting as there had been a discussion regarding how many people from one family should be given tickets. Rohit is a member of the Pune zilla parishad.
"I respect all the decisions taken by Saheb. But affection goes beyond respect. Me and lot of workers like me feel that Saheb should reconsider his decision. Nobody should try to behave like a frog, who tries to be a bull by inflating air," he told TOI.
He, however, ruled out any difference within the family. "Such news were spread even when Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule entered politics. This has never happened in our family and will never happen," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, formally joined the BJP in Mumbai.
Addressing the crowd at the function in Mumbai, Sujay said that joining the BJP was his own view and he had go against his father's wishes to do so.
"I've taken this decision against my father's wishes. I don't know how much my parents will support this decision, but I'll try my best to make my family proud by working under the guidance of the BJP," he said, adding that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis stood behind him like a father during his bad days.