Sujay R. Vikhe Patil, who made a high-profile entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday, and Parth A. Pawar, the NCP candidate, took their first political steps on Wednesday in preparation for their likely candidature for the Ahmednagar and Maval Lok Sabha seats, respectively.

A neurosurgeon by profession, Sujay's meeting with Thackeray was termed as "a courtesy call" by aides from both sides. Parth visited the landmark 15 century-old Lonavala temple to seek the blessings of Goddess Ekvira Devi, and later the Mahad Ashthvinayak Temple in Raigad.

Parth, who has studied law in London, will address a meeting of party activists near Karjat (Raigad), and seek their cooperation for the upcoming elections with his grand-uncle Sharad Pawar also likely to make a video-conference appeal.

The newest gen-next politicians - Sujay represents the fourth-generation of the Vikhe Patil clan and Parth is the third-generation of the Pawar clan - have created immense interest in the state's political circles, coming from rival parties which will clash in all the 48 constituencies in the state.

Not alien to the heat and dust of field politics, in the past both have cut their political teeth by campaigning or strategising for their family members in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Incidentally, Sujay has practically fought a war with the Vikhe Patil family; he admitted publicly on Tuesday that his father Radhakrishna is not even on speaking terms with him currently after he joined the BJP. This created a furore in Congress circles with demands for his (father's) resignation from some quarters.

In contrast, Parth's foray into electoral politics was smoother and came after the family discussed the issue threadbare, acquiesced on the need to give opportunity to the next generation and Sharad Pawar gracefully bowed out of the poll race to accommodate his youthful grand-nephew.

Besides Sujay and Parth, there are several other scions of various prominent political families cutting across party lines all over Maharashtra who are expected to be in the fray for the Lok Sabha elections, thumbing a nose at the much debated and decried 'dynastic politics'.

--IANS

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