Thaindian News

Mumbai, Oct 22 (IANS) Political families and dynasties, cutting across party lines, came to the fore in a big way in the Maharashtra assembly elections 2009, the results of which were declared here Thursday.
Leading the pack was Rajendrasingh Shekhawat, son of President Pratibha Patil who won from Amaravati. He trounced Congress rebel candidate Sunil Deshmukh, who is the son of former minister Punjabrao Deshmukh.

Close behind were Praniti, daughter of Union Minister for Power Sushilkumar Shinde, who won from Solapur City Central, and Amit, son of Union Minister for Heavy Industries Vilasrao Deshmukh, who bagged Latur.

Congress MP from Mumbai Eknath Gaekwad’s daughter Varsha won from the Dharavi constituency.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar won from Baramati - a segment of the Lok Sabha seat of the same name which was bagged by his daughter Supriya five months ago.

Party colleague and NCP’s deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal’s son Pankaj won from Nandgaon in Nashik; in the last Lok Sabha, Bhujbal’s nephew Samir was elected from Nashik to parliament.

Another NCP leader, Ganesh Naik’s son Sandeep Naik bagged Airoli seat in Navi Mumbai (Thane district).

The NCP’s MP from Osmanabad, Padamsinh Patil saw his son trounced at the hands of Omraje Nimbalkar, son of the late Congress strongman Pavanraje Nimbalkar in Osmanabad. Padamsinh Patil is on trial for murdering his counsin Pavanraje Nimbalkar.

Congress’s former Maharasthra Legislative Council chairman Jayantrao Tilak’s grandson Rohit Tilak lost from Kasbapeth in Pune.

Former Congress chief minister Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekar was trailing behind his own grandson Sambhajirao Patil-Nilangekar of the BJP from Nilanga constituency.

Another Congress leader, Ramashet Thakur’s son Prashant Thakur was trailing from Panvel constituency as per latest reports.

Congress party leader Anantrao Thopte’s son Sangram Thopte lost from Bhor constituency.

In the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior party leader Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja bagged the Parli seat.

However, his brother-in-law Madhusudan Kendre was trailing in Gangakhed seat when reports came in at 4 p.m.

His niece - Poonam Mahajan, daughter of the late BJP strongman Pramod Mahajan - lost from Ghatkopar west seat Thursday.

Another BJP leader Daulatrao Aher’s son Rahul also lost miserably in the fourth position in Nashik West seat.