Maharashtra elections 2024: Family feuds take center stage in assembly polls

Harshvardhan Jadhav, independent vs  Sanjana Jadhav, Sena (Shinde)

Family feuds took centre stage in these assembly polls, with uncles pitted against nephews, father versus daughter, and even estranged spouses locking horns in the electoral battlefield.

At the heart of this family drama was the high-stakes battle in Baramati, the bastion of the Pawar family. Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew Yugendra Pawar, a debutant backed by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). Yugendra, the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother Shrinivas, was fielded to take on his seasoned uncle, making this one of the most talked about contests of the election.

The Pawar family feud escalated during the campaign, with Sharad Pawar personally leading the charge against his nephew Ajit Pawar. The rivalry was so fierce that the Deputy CM was compelled to camp in Baramati for several days in a bid to defend his stronghold. When the dust settled, Ajit Pawar emerged victorious, securing the seat for the eighth time, with a commanding margin of 1,00,899 votes. According to the Election Commission of India, Ajit Pawar garnered 1,81,132 votes against Yugendra's 80,233 votes.

Reacting to his win, Ajit Pawar posted on X: "We shall not waste a single moment speaking against anyone. Our focus will solely be on the development of Maharashtra and the welfare of its people." This is not the first time Baramati turned into a battleground for intra-family politics; in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule in the Baramati parliamentary seat.

Spouses spar

Marathwada's Kannad constituency in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar saw an intense contest between independent candidate Harshvardhan Jadhav and his estranged wife, Shiv Sena (Shinde) candidate Sanjana, who also happens to be the daughter of senior BJP leader and former Union minister Raosaheb Danve.

Their marriage had been fraught with discord, eventually leading to separation. Harshvardhan has publicly blamed his father-in-law Raosaheb Danve for the breakdown of their relationship, adding a personal dimension to an already high-profile political contest. The Kannad assembly constituency, Sanjana's preferred choice, had initially been allocated to Shiv Sena under the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Grand Alliance arrangement.

Determined to contest, Raosaheb Danve reportedly held discussions with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This resulted in Sanjana Jadhav formally joining the Shiv Sena (Shinde). Shinde granted her the ticket to contest from the Kannad assembly constituency, setting up a high-stakes triangular battle including Udaysingh Rajput from Sena (UBT).

Ultimately, Sanjana Jadhav emerged victorious, defeating her husband by a margin of 18,201 votes. She secured a total of 84,492 votes against Harshvardhan's 66,291. Rajput was pushed to third place with 46,510 votes.

Three-way family feud

In Gadchiroli's Aheri assembly constituency, three-time MLA and state Food and Drug Administration minister Dharmaraobaba Atram from NCP (Ajit Pawar) was challenged by not only his daughter Bhagyashree Atram-Halgekar (from Sharad Pawar's NCP faction), but also his nephew Raje Amrish Atram, who contested as an independent candidate.

This high-stakes familial contest garnered statewide attention, particularly after Bhagyashree reportedly resisted Ajit Pawar's personal efforts to dissuade her from challenging her father.

The Atram family, a prominent tribal dynasty in Aheri, has held a significant political presence in Gadchiroli's east Vidarbha region for over 150 years. Their political roots trace back to their role as regional royalty under British rule. Since 1990, the family has consistently shaped the political landscape in Gadchiroli. Over the years, the family's allegiance shifted between parties, with victories under the banners of Congress, the Nag Vidarbha Andolan Samiti, and later the NCP.

Dharamraobaba Atram's political battles have often been familial. In 2014, he faced his nephew Raje Amrish, who contested on a BJP ticket. Although Dharamraobaba reclaimed the seat in 2019, the rivalry persisted. This time round, Dharmaraobaba Atram retained his seat with a commanding margin of 18,441 votes. He secured 54,206 votes, defeating his nephew Raje Amrish's tally of 37,392 votes, as well as daughter Bhagyashree's 35,765 votes.

Meanwhile, in Beed, Sandeep Ravindra Kshirsagar of NCP (SP) emerged victorious after a closely fought battle against his cousin Yogesh Bharatbhushan Kshirsagar, who represented NCP (Ajit Pawar). Sandeep secured 1,01,874 votes, while Yogesh managed 96,550 votes. Notably, of the six assembly seats in Beed district, the Beed constituency was the only one won by the MVA, underlining its strategic importance for the opposition.

Husband vs wife in Kannad

Harshvardhan Jadhav, independent vs Sanjana Jadhav, Sena (Shinde)

Cousins in Beed

Yogesh Kshirsagar, NCP (Ajit Pawar) vs Sandeep Kshirsagar, NCP (SP)

Father vs daughter in Aheri

Bhagyashree Atram-Halgekar, NCP (SP) vs Dharmaraobaba Atram, NCP (Ajit Pawar)