Dynasty politics in Pune seems to be making its presence felt in the upcoming elections for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), with second generation leaders across parties contesting the polls.
Contrary to popular beliefs, second generation leaders in Pune claim that it was not a cake walk for them to get party tickets.
Amit Bagul, son of Congress leader Aba Bagul, said it was hard for him to bag the ticket for the Sarasbaug Parvati Darshan panel.
“I have been a dedicated member of the party for 20 years. This was the first time the party gave me the ticket. During the last civic polls, I had asked for a ticket but was denied. This yearthere were loads of hassle,” he said.
Politics came naturally to Bagul, whose family has been in politics for long. He denied any nepotism . “Elective merit was the only
criterion used to give me the ticket,” he said.
Of the 152 candidates fielded by the Congress, quite a few second generation leaders are in the fray. Son of Shivajinagar MLA Vinayak Nimhan Chandraskhekar, alias Sunny Nimhan, Avinash and
Yasir, sons of MLA Ramesh Bagwe and Ragavendra, son of Congress vice president Deepak Bidkar are some of the second generation leaders in the fray.
The ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also had given tickets to Mahendra Pathare, who happens to be nephew of MLA Bapusaheb Pathare. Megha Babar, daughter-in-law of MLA Mahadev Babar and Yogesh Mokate, nephew of MLA Chandrakant Mokate, are in the fray from the Shiv Sena.
Avinash Bagwe, who is contesting from the Kasewadi panel said, “I was working with a company, but came back to India to help my father during the 2004 polls. Due to delay in polling, I was forced to stay back and worked in the social sphere. I worked for four years after which the party decided to give me the ticket based on my work and my elective merit,” he said.
Majority of the second generation leaders claim that expectations on them are high.
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