Wardha, Maharashtra:
The Congress party's experiment in democratizing the selection of candidates for the general election through US-style primaries has ended up with a dynastic twist in Wardha in Maharashtra.
Both candidates for the primary to be held on March 9 come from political families. Wardha's parliamentarian Datta Meghe's son, Sagar, is up against former Governor Prabha Rau's daughter, Charulata Tokas.
Asked if political families have monopolised the primary in Wardha, Ms. Tokas said, "I don't think so. It's not that we have come here only because of our families. We have worked for it, held various posts in local bodies, worked at the local and grassroots levels to get here. We have followed the due process to be a part of this."
The candidates' family connections are not the only irony in this primary.
Charulata Tokas' rival Sagar Meghe's father says he fears that the exercise will only divide the party, instead of uniting it.
"The fight among sarpanchs (village heads who will vote) will do more harm than good to the party," said Dutta Meghe, a veteran Congressman. "Despite everything that has happened, my son Sagar will fight the primary. Whether he wins or loses, we will accept it. But our objections must be acknowledged and acted on. We have complained so many times but our concerns have been ignored."
The Congress primaries in Maharashtra have been controversial from the beginning.
First, they were to be held for the Aurangabad and Dhule seats but candidates here came to blows and Congress leaders here were openly opposed to the idea. Then the Yavatmal constituency was selected and dropped just as quickly, after which the Congress finally settled on Wardha and Latur.
Many party workers we spoke to say the concept is welcome but the sheer haste in completing the process without giving it enough time could potentially lead to a bitter battle between rival supporters, who are currently working against each other despite being in the same party.
Both candidates for the primary to be held on March 9 come from political families. Wardha's parliamentarian Datta Meghe's son, Sagar, is up against former Governor Prabha Rau's daughter, Charulata Tokas.
Asked if political families have monopolised the primary in Wardha, Ms. Tokas said, "I don't think so. It's not that we have come here only because of our families. We have worked for it, held various posts in local bodies, worked at the local and grassroots levels to get here. We have followed the due process to be a part of this."
The candidates' family connections are not the only irony in this primary.
Charulata Tokas' rival Sagar Meghe's father says he fears that the exercise will only divide the party, instead of uniting it.
"The fight among sarpanchs (village heads who will vote) will do more harm than good to the party," said Dutta Meghe, a veteran Congressman. "Despite everything that has happened, my son Sagar will fight the primary. Whether he wins or loses, we will accept it. But our objections must be acknowledged and acted on. We have complained so many times but our concerns have been ignored."
The Congress primaries in Maharashtra have been controversial from the beginning.
First, they were to be held for the Aurangabad and Dhule seats but candidates here came to blows and Congress leaders here were openly opposed to the idea. Then the Yavatmal constituency was selected and dropped just as quickly, after which the Congress finally settled on Wardha and Latur.
Many party workers we spoke to say the concept is welcome but the sheer haste in completing the process without giving it enough time could potentially lead to a bitter battle between rival supporters, who are currently working against each other despite being in the same party.
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