Kin of several heavyweights beat established politicians as big names make sure that their bloodline gets a firm footing while they are still active
Dynasty politics took centre stage during this civic election. Several senior heavyweight politicians ensured that their kin made a good career under their able guidance while they are still active in politics. Even after murmurs of criticism, if not open revolt, most of these candidates have emerged as winners.
Samadhan Sarvankar, son of Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar, emerged winner from Ward 194 in Prabhadevi. Samadhan was facing a tough fight from sitting MNS corporator Santosh Dhuri and Shiv Sena rebel Mahesh Sawant, who stood as an independent candidate from the ward. The area that covers Prabhadevi and adjoining areas is dominated by Marathi-speaking people. Interestingly, Samadhan contested the last civic election as a Congressman as his father was a member of that party then.
Aakash Purohit, BJP MLA Raj Purohit’s son, won from ward 221 (Mumbadevi-Zaveri Bazaar area). One of the richest candidates in fray, his father carries weight in south-Mumbai.
Aakash was pitted against former BJP corporator Janak Sanghvi, who contested on a Congress ticket this time. His ward was among the ones which were closely watched by many parties to know if the Center’s decision on demonetization adversely affected their votebank.
MP Kirit Somaiya’s son Neil Somaiya won from Ward 108 in Mulund. All of 26, Neil, a PhD student, emerged despite Sena giving ticket to BJP rebel Mukesh Karia from the Gujarati Jain community and Aditya Thackeray personally holing bike rallies to mobilise Sena cadre to defeat the young man. An active member of the party’s youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Neil had been preparing ground for the past two years.
In Goregaon’s ward number 50 (Sundar Nagar-Ram Nagar), minister Vidya Thakur’s son Deepak Thakur won on BJP’s ticket against Shiv Sena shakha pramukh Dinesh Rao. He had actively campaigned for his mother in 2014 and had a strong support base from the area.
Rohan Rathod, BJP’s victorious candidate from ward 68 (Versova), is BJP MLA Amit Satam’s brother-in-law. He was a Yuva Morcha member from the same ward in Andheri West.
Tejasvee Ghosalkar, Shiv Sena corporator from Ward number 1 in Dahisar, is incumbent Abhishek Ghosalkar’s wife. Contesting from ward number 1, Ghosalkar beat sitting corporator from the adjacent area, Sheetal Mhatre of Congress. Tejasvee managed a lead of over 1,500 votes over Mhatre.
Sagar Singh Thakur, son of ex-MLA Ramesh Singh Thakur, won from Ward 29 (Ashok Nagar-Akurli Nagar) in Kandivli from a Gujarati-dominated locality. He was pitted against sitting Congress corporator from the area, Ramashish Gupta.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "BMC")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}