NCP president Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, 39, always takes the backseat at party conclaves reckoning she is junior-most in hierarchy. But unlike other Gen Next leaders struggling to make a mark on the political turf, she has already inherited her father’s empire, Baramati in Western Maharashtra.
The political connect is gaining greater acceptance in the current scenario. Not surprisingly, even the divided Congress silently endorsed MP Milind Deora for Mumbai South and did not question Priya Dutt’s shift to Mumbai North Central post delimitation. The state Congress is aware of the Dutts’ relations with the Sonia Gandhi family. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi considers Milind a friend.
BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde says, “There is nothing wrong if children follow in the footsteps of their political parents, but the organisation should ensure injustice is not done to other deserving candidates.”
Heavyweights, including Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Pawar have been promoting their kith and kin. BJP leader the late Pramod Mahajan’s daughter Poonam is a serious contender for the Mumbai North-East LS seat.
Kirit Somaiyya is the other contender, but he may lose out as the party’s all-India general secretary Gopinath Munde is supporting Poonam.
Whether it is the Congress, NCP, BJP or the Shiv Sena, nothing moves without the consent of political bigwigs. Money is another important factor that decides candidates in all parties.
A senior Congress leader said, “A high-profile candidate spent Rs7 crore last assembly polls. In parliamentary polls, the budget rises four-fold.”
