Pune: For many, it’s a battle to reclaim lost bastions while some consider it a prestige issue and do what it takes to reign supreme in the political arena. A few just fight it out to stay relevant in the changing landscape. However, a good mix of people from these three categories wants to see their loved ones on board the new general body of the Pune Municipal Corporation. Ahead of the Jan 15 poll, former corporators and senior politicians across party lines have secured tickets for their family members and close relatives.Among the key figures is Shiv Sena’s city unit chief and former Kasba Peth MLA Ravindra Dhangekar. He has manged to get the candidatures of his son Pranav and wife Pratibha confirmed from the Kasba Ganapati-Kamla Nehru Hospital and Ravivar Peth-Nana Peth wards respectively. Congress’s former corporator Avinash Bagwe and his wife Indira are contesting from the Kasewadi-Dias Plot ward, while a new entrant to BJP, Surendra Pathare, and his wife Aishwarya are in the election race from wards in Vimannagar and Kharadi-Wagholi area.Former Pune mayor Prashant Jagtap, who recently jumped from NCP (SP) to Congress, is fighting from Wanowrie ward along with his mother Ratnaprabha Jagtap. The Mankar brothers — Harshvardhan and Raghvendra — have been fielded as candidates from two different wards.Former corporators Prakash Kadam and Vasant More are both contesting the civic poll once again, and have also secured tickets for their sons from different wards.Sources in the city’s political circles said a significant number of former corporators are not contesting the election this time, but their family members are in the fray. Bharatbhushan Barate, a close relative of former corporator Dilip Barate, is contesting from Warje area. Nivedita, daughter of former corporator Jyotsna Ekbote, has secured a ticket for the Shivajinagar-Model Colony ward, while Apoorva Khade, son of Dattatray Khade, is fighting the electoral battle from the same ward. Congress politician Balasaheb Dabhekar’s son Niranjan has bagged the candidature from the Shanivar Peth ward.A senior BJP member said, “The party decided not to give tickets to the family members of MPs, MLAs and ministers, and it was followed in the civic polls too. BJP issued tickets to many young candidates for the PMC election, who are making their maiden attempts.”Political workers, however, are not happy over tickets being issued to the family members of their leaders. An NCP worker from Shivajinagar said people switched parties ahead of polls to get tickets. “This is injustice to the loyal workers.”
