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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

MPs rebellion ‘splits’ even some families

Mumbai: Amid the rebellion by 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, at least two of them have shot into the spotlight, but for entirely different and non-political reasons – Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Sanjay Dina-Patil (Mumbai North-East). Despite their fathers currently in the process of shifting loyalties to the Shiv Sena headed by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, the son and daughter, respectively, of both these MPs have chosen to stay anchored firmly with SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray....

MPs rebellion ‘splits’ even some families

Mumbai: Amid the rebellion by 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, at least two of them have shot into the spotlight, but for entirely different and non-political reasons – Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Sanjay Dina-Patil (Mumbai North-East). Despite their fathers currently in the process of shifting loyalties to the Shiv Sena headed by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, the son and daughter, respectively, of both these MPs have chosen to stay anchored firmly with SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray. They are Krishna Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Rajool Sanjay Patil and both are emerging politicians in their own right and with politically bright prospects. Rajool is a SS (UBT) Municipal Corporator from Ward No. 114 (Bhandup) in her father’ constituency, and Krishna is the official Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate for the Nanded Local Authorities constituency in the Maharashtra Legislature’s upper house. However, the abrupt rebellion by their fathers - along with four other SS (UBT) MPs has raised question marks on their own loyalties and political moorings – with the MLCs election results scheduled on Monday. A Deputy Leader from Pune guardedly said that “the same norms under the anti-defection laws for parliament would apply” at all levels, preventing the duo (Krishna and Rajool) from following in their fathers’ footsteps. “After all, there are many examples where in the same family, different members owe allegiance to different political parties. They may have made their personal political calculations and survival before taking any plunge blindly in the name of ideology,” the leader told ‘The Perfect Voice’, requesting anonymity. A Mumbai leader averred that in case the political sand slips - for whatever reasons - in the ongoing defection drama, at least all in the family may not have to pay the price for a botch-up, as “these youngsters still have a long road ahead in politics”. On June 18, when Ashtikar’s name came among the six potential turncoats, Krishna faced an embarrassing situation as the MLC polling was underway that day. Krishna quickly mouthed bites to proclaim his allegiance to Thackeray and an equally bewildered Rajool - elected as a BMC corporator just six months ago - instantly declared her support to SS (UBT) and even joined a protest against her father’s decision. Both the youngsters confronting a peculiar family-cum-political divide put up brave faces and publicly claimed that they had “absolutely no inkling” of the political coup currently underway and are firmly with Thackeray. For the present, however, the SS (UBT) camp is somewhat relieved that the damage caused by the proposed exit of the 6 MPs has not percolated to their family members, affording it time to take some proactive measures to prevent a similar scenario in the coming times. SS (UBT) Deputy Leader dares MP’s son A skeptical SS (UBT) Deputy Leader Sushma Andhare and others immediately pounced on Krishna Ashtikar, questioning the credibility of his words after his father and party MP from Hingoli Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar’s plans to switch sides. “Go and perform your father’s funeral rituals (pind-daan) immediately to prove your claims that you are different from your father…” a livid Andhare dared Krishna, who retorted by saying that he is “answerable only to the SS (UBT) supremo and none else”.

Another Thackeray Son Rises

Updated: Oct 25, 2024

Amit Thackeray

Amit Thackeray, son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray, has finally entered the electoral politics. His father announced his name as the party candidate from the Mahim assembly constituency in Mumbai on Wednesday.


It was in the year 2020 that Amit was formally inducted in the party that his father founded. Within two years he was made the chief of the youth wing of the party. Being the son of the supreme leader of the party, the respect and the aura come to him naturally. But, more than that he is a very patient listener and lends an ear to the party workers. He also mingles a lot among the grass root workers of the party, by which he has been able to form a base for himself.


Amit has an impressive personality and his public presence is assuring. Though his public speaking skills have not been tested much as yet, he is effective in smaller meetings and guides the party cadres carefully. Due to these organizational skills, he was made to tour the whole of Maharashtra as the youth wing chief of the party and he gathered cadres and built the youth wing of the party in most of the places across Maharashtra, tell his associates and party workers.


Amit is married to fashion designer Mitali Borude and the couple is blessed with a son. Amit knew Mitali through his sister Urvashi who runs a joint venture named ‘The Rack’ with Mitali in Bandra. Amit and Mitali came closer during his serious illness a few years back. She lent him great support and helped him come out of the trauma. They tied knot in 2019.


After being launched in the politics and given the responsibility of the youth wing, he was being groomed since past few years for the municipal polls. For the MNS, the municipal polls had been more significant. However, since those elections haven’t taken place, he was asked to conduct meetings of the party workers across the state ahead of Lok Sabha elections a few months back. At the last moment his party decided to lend unconditional support to PM Modi and Amit had to withdrew his plans to contest parliamentary election.


His name was also doing rounds ahead of the assembly polls in a similar fashion. Speculations were rife that he might contest from Worli assembly segment from where his cousin Aaditya Thackeray is the sitting MLA. With Raj Thackeray naming Amit as the party candidate for Mahim all those speculations have been proven wrong. Amit will face Shiv Sena’s sitting MLA Sada Sarvankar and Shiv Sena’s (UBT) zonal chief Mahesh Sawant in the poll fray.


Mahim assembly constituency is a Marathi stronghold and senior MNS leader Nitin Sardesai had represented the constituency in Maharashtra assembly between 2009 and 2014. Shiv Sena’s Sadanand S. Sarvankar won the constituency in 2014 and 2019. He is currently with CM Eknath Shinde and the three term MLA is expected to contest again contest the seat and brace for a tough fight vis-a-vis a Thackeray ‘heir’ jumping into the fray.

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