Voters in parts of Maharashtra have sent a strong message against dynastic politics in the recently concluded local body elections, turning down candidates from prominent political families across party lines. The results suggest a noticeable shift in voter priorities, with merit, performance, and accountability taking precedence over family legacy.
Alliance-backed candidate Samsher Singh Naik-Nimbalkar defeated Aniket Raje Naik-Nimbalkar, son of former Legislative Council chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar, in the presidential contest. (HT)
In the Shirol taluka of Kolhapur district, sitting MLA Ashok Mane faced a significant setback in his own stronghold as multiple members of his family were defeated. His daughter-in-law, Sarika Arvind Mane, lost the race for president of the Shirol Nagar Parishad, while his son Arvind Ashokrao Mane and a nephew were defeated in councillor elections, underscoring a sharp decline in the Mane family’s local influence.
Mane, a Dalit leader, was elected in the 2024 state Assembly elections from the Hatkanangle constituency on the Jansurajya Party ticket. For the Shirol Nagar Parishad polls, he aligned with the Mahayuti to form the local Tararani Aghadi. Under this front, Sarika Mane was fielded for the president’s post, while Arvind Mane contested for a councillor’s seat.
The president’s post was reserved for the Scheduled Caste category. After the reservation was announced, there was speculation that Mane would nominate a party worker. Instead, members of his family were fielded, a decision voters decisively rejected. Sarika Mane finished third in the presidential race.
A similar trend was seen in the Loha Municipal Council elections in Nanded district, where the Bharatiya Janata Party suffered an unexpected setback after fielding six candidates from the Suryavanshi family. The party had projected Gajanan Suryavanshi as its mayoral candidate. His wife Godavari Suryavanshi, brother Sachin Suryavanshi, sister-in-law Supriya Suryavanshi, brother-in-law Yuvraj Waghmare and niece-in-law Reena Vyavahare contested from different wards. All six were defeated.
The Nationalist Congress Party, led locally by MLA Prataprao Chikhalikar, won the president’s post and 17 seats, while Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Congress secured one seat each. Senior BJP leaders, including Pankaja Munde, Ashok Chavan and guardian minister Atul Save, campaigned extensively in Loha, but the family-centric strategy failed to resonate with voters.
In another significant upset, the camp led by BJP leader and former MP Ranjitsinh Naik-Nimbalkar ended the Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar family’s nearly three-decade dominance of the Phaltan Municipal Council. Alliance-backed candidate Samsher Singh Naik-Nimbalkar defeated Aniket Raje Naik-Nimbalkar, son of former Legislative Council chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar, in the presidential contest. The BJP–NCP alliance also secured a clear majority in the 27-member council.
Political observers said the results carry a consistent message from voters across regions: dynastic politics is no longer a guaranteed route to power, even at the local level, as voters increasingly demand performance-driven leadership and accountability in self-governance.
