THE BJP has often accused the Congress of foisting “namdaar” politics on the country. But here’s the irony: most of the ruling party’s imports in Maharashtra are dynasts.
Sources in the BJP said that the poaching trend shows that despite all its successes, the party still needed established political dynasties of the old regime to retain its position of strength.
Consider this. In March this year, Sujay Vikhe-Patil, now BJP’s MP from Ahmednagar, quit the Congress to join the saffron party. He is a third generation politician belonging to the formidable Vikhe-Patil family, which has a long history of defections.
After Sujay’s win, father Radhakrishna, then Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, was quick to switch over. He is now the housing minister in the Devendra Fadnavis government.