Maharashtra polls: Parties rope in royals for Satara, Kolhapur battle
As Maharashtra's elections near, parties like Congress and BJP are leveraging royal ties, fielding candidates with heritage to attract traditional voters.
As Maharashtra’s assembly elections approach, political parties like the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are tapping into the legacy of royal families by fielding candidates with royal ties, particularly in the Kolhapur, and Satara districts.
On Tuesday, Congress nominated Madhurimaraje Chhatrapati, daughter-in-law of MP Shahu Maharaj, for the Kolhapur North constituency. The decision came after local opposition to the initial Congress candidate, Rajesh Latkar.
Madhurimaraje is now locked in a battle against Rajesh Kshirsagar, a candidate of chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
According to party sources, Madhurimaraje’s candidacy is an attempt by Congress to garner support from traditional voters, given her family’s rich heritage. Shahu Maharaj, a respected figure in Maharashtra’s history, represents progressive leadership, a legacy Madhurimaraje hopes to continue in the political sphere.
Earlier, on October 26, Congress announced Latkar’s candidacy. However, following protests that saw stones thrown at the Congress office and Latkar reportedly manhandled, local leaders and corporators urged senior leader Satej Patil to reconsider the decision. On October 28, Congress confirmed the switch to Madhurimaraje.
A leader from the Congress’ Kolhapur unit, who requested anonymity, said, “There were disagreements among local leaders over Latkar’s candidacy, and to avoid further dissent, the district Congress chose the royal family member as a safer option.”
After filing her nomination on Tuesday, Madhurimaraje said, “We had initially decided that no one from our family would contest the assembly elections as people voted for Shahu Maharaj in the Lok Sabha polls. However, given the circumstances, we could not ignore the community’s requests.”
Critics argue that by focusing on royal connections, parties may overlook pressing local issues.
“Congress’ candidate switch at the last moment likely stems from factional disagreements, but with multiple influential groups in each constituency, royal status alone won’t guarantee victory this election,” said Prakash Pawar, a political analyst.
Similarly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded sitting MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale from Satara. A direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shivendra Raje served as an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from 2004 to 2019 before joining the BJP. His cousin, Udayan Raje Bhosale, is a Member of Parliament from Satara on a BJP ticket.
In Kagal, the NCP has nominated Raje Samarjeet Ghatge to challenge NCP’s Hasan Mushrif, a state minister and five-term MLA. Previously close to BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, Ghatge joined the NCP in September, bringing a formidable challenge to the ruling party in Kagal. A chartered accountant and chairman of the Shahu Group, Ghatge manages enterprises such as the Shri Shahu Cooperative Sugar Factory and Raje Vikramsinh Ghatge Cooperative Bank. He lost the 2019 assembly election to Mushrif by 28,133 votes.
As the elections near, the pivotal question remains: will royal lineage influence voters, or will the electorate demand more than family history? With high stakes in Kolhapur, Kagal, and Satara, these royal claims will undergo intense scrutiny in the coming weeks.
Royal family members from Kolhapur who contested elections
1967: Chhatrapati Vijaymala Maharani contested Lok Sabha with support from Peasants and Workers Party
2004: Chhatrapati Malojiraje contested state assembly elections on a Congress ticket
2008: Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje Maharaj received Lok Sabha ticket from the NCP
2024: Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj received Lok Sabha ticket from Congress
2024: Madhurimaraje Chhatrapati, Congress candidate for the state assembly elections
