NCP's Navi Mumbai civic poll win: Can Sharad Pawar keep dynastic politics away from his party?

Look who’s talking. And more importantly, what’s he saying. Sharad Pawar, whose nephew Ajit Pawar and he had switched seats, from Baramati Lok Sabha to Baramati Assembly to suit the political purposes when needed, has now complimented Ganesh Naik, Navi Mumbai’s strongman for avoiding dynastic politics.  Pawar attributed NCP’s win in the Navi Mumbai municipal elections to Naik and his family refraining from the fighting the polls and not indulging in dynastic politics. There is some touch of amnesia here. Mr Pawar has forgotten that Ganesh Naik, when an MLA, first on a Shiv Sena ticket and then on a NCP ticket, had ensured that his son was MP twice. His other son was an MLC. Naik also made sure that a nephew of his was made the mayor, like his father, Naik’s brother. Navi Mumbai is known as the Naik family bastion - clearly, if this is not dynastic politics, god know what is. [caption id=“attachment_2222506” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sharad Pawar. Agencies.[/caption] Pawar’s comments come following the recent realisation that Indian voters may be wary of dynastic politics. The recent polls - which witnessed the defeat of several of NCP’s candidates whose families have been associated with the party for years - may have convinced Pawar to say so. However, there are many politicians who have their kin in elected posts in government organisations like sugar cooperatives and cooperative banks. Mr Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, has been an MP, winning the seat which her father and cousin had earlier held. Ajit Pawar was not only a deputy chief minister, but also the number two in the party’s hierarchy. Even when he was not holding a formal position, it was Ajit Pawar who virtually held the reins to the party, so much so even senior members had to bow before him. It is said that Sharad Pawar was greatly dismayed by this. According to a report in Loksatta, a Marathi daily, Pawar is said to have waxed eloquent on the virtues of not promoting families in politics. He is reported to have said in a party meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday that because Naiks did not figure on the ballot, the party won the city. It so happens that the father-son Naik duo drew a blank in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Apparently, the virtues of keeping families out of politics has dawned rather late on the NCP boss who, given the way the party works, had to approve each candidate the party fielded in the Assembly or Lok Sabha elections. The list of families whose members got promoted in politics in the NCP, and when he was in the Congress, is rather long. Chhagan Bhujbal remained in the Assembly and had his nephew, Sameer contest and won the Nashik parliamentary seat on the NCP ticket in the previous election. His bid for the seat, however, failed last year. Bhujbal’s son Pankaj was a one-term MLA and the voters did not favour another term. Dr Padmasinh Patil’s son, as well as Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil’s son too had been promoted. The list of politicians in the NCP stable, who have benefitted from dynastic politics, is endless. How Pawar plans to keep his party away from that brand of politics will be interesting to see.