From a tiny village to an industrial city to information technology (IT) destination, Pimpri-Chinchwad has witnessed a total transformation over the last few decades. It has attracted people from all over, getting a cosmopolitan face. But when it comes to power politics, Pimpri-Chinchwad still goes by the rules of a village - ‘Gavaki-bhavaki-padar’.
‘Gavaki’ is a Marathi term for congregation of natives who have roots in the village and so enjoy every hereditary right to rule there. ‘Bhavaki’ in Marathi, stands for being tied to each other by bloodline. ‘Padar’ is a Marathi term for different families getting united by tying the knot. In power politics of rural Maharashtra, these factors are considered the most dominating.
Different native families have been enjoying political clout in various parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad. For example, the Landes, Gavanes and Phuges are powerful in Bhosari.
Almost all political parties have adhered to the ‘Gavaki-bhavaki-natigoti’ rule of power politics while fielding candidates for the civic polls of Pimpri Chinchwad. ‘Natigoti’ means ‘kin’.
In the last Lok Sabha polls, Bhosari-based MLA Vilas Lande was defeated by Sena MP, Shivaji Adhalrao Patil due to the gavaki factor. Similarly, Lande defeated Sena MP, Gajanan Babar in the assembly polls. Even in the 2007 elections, 42 of 105 corporators elected to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation were native villagers. Even key posts of all party presidents, standing committee chairman, mayor are occupied by the native villagers.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), when it comes to fielding candidates, he goes by ‘gavaki-bhavaki-natigoti’ rule.
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