Mumbai: The BJP on Tuesday released the first list of the names of 125 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly elections, out of which 25 seats have been given to family members of party leaders or former legislators and members of Parliament. In this way, every fifth candidate of BJP is the son-daughter, daughter-in-law or nephew-niece of some or the other party leader. The party which always blames Congress and Nationalist Congress for following nepotism is now following the same itself.
Akash Phundkar, son of former minister Bhausaheb Phundkar, has been given a ticket from Khamgaon seat in Buldhana. Sandeep Naik, son of former minister and former Ganesh Naik, has been given ticket from Airoli seat. Former minister Madhukar Pichad's son Vaibhav Pichad has been nominated from Akole seat. Hemant Sawara, son of sitting legislator and former minister Vishnu Sawara, will contest from Vikramgad in Palghar district.
Bharat Gavit, son of former minister Manikrao Gavit, will contest from Nawapur seat in Nandurbar district and Santosh Danve, son of former minister and former BJP state president Raosaheb Danve, will fight from Bhokardan seat in Jalna district. Apart from this, Madan Bhonsle, son of former minister Prataprao Bhonsle, got a ticket from Wai seat in Satara district. Apart from sons and daughters, BJP has also fielded Sunil Kamble from Pune Cantt seat, brother of former minister Dilip Kamble.
BJP has placed bets on Sameer Meghe, son of former MP Datta Meghe from Hingana seat in Nagpur district. Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, son of former minister Padmasinh Patil, will be contesting from Tuljapur seat in Osmanabad district. Siddharth Shirole, son of former BJP MP Anil Shirole from Shivajinagar seat in Pune city and Sambhaji Nilangekar Patil, son of former MP from Latur constituency Rupatai Nilangkar and Prashant Thakur, son of former MP Ramsheth Thakur, will contest from Panvel. Rajesh Padvi is son of sitting BJP legislator Udesingh Padvi. Randheer Sawarkar is nephew of Sanjay Dhotre, BJP's sitting MP from Akola. Atul Sawe is son of former MP Moreshwar Sawe. Tushar Rathod is son of BJP leader Govind Rathod will contest from Mukhed in Nanded and Keertikumar Bhangdia, candidate from Chimur,is son BJP legislator Mitesh Bhnagdia.
Woman candidate's family connection
BJP has nominated Pankaja Munde, daughter of former Union Minister Gopinath Munde, from Parli Assembly seat in Beed district.
It has given ticket to Snehlata Kolhe, daughter-in-law of former minister Shankarrao Kolhe from Kopargaon seat. Devyani Farande, daughter-in-law of NS Farande, BJP leader and former Deputy Chairman of Legislative council, will contest from Nashik Central. Monika Rajale, wife of leader Rajiv Rajale will contest from Shivgao in Ahmednagar. Seema Hire, who is contesting from Nashik West is daughter in law of Popatrao Hire who is BJP leader. Dnyanjyoti Bhadane Patil is wife of BJP leader Manohar Bhadane Patil who will contest from Dhule rural.
