As tensions rise among Maharashtra's political parties ahead of the Assembly Elections, another storm is brewing within the family of Maharashtra Minister of Food and Drug Administration and senior NCP leader Dharmaraobaba Atram. His daughter is rumored to join the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and potentially contest against him, escalating a dramatic political family feud.
During a recent Jan Samman rally, where NCP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was present, Atram took a public stand against his daughter Bhagyshree and her husband Rituraj Halgekar. He accused them of treachery and urged the public not to trust them.
“People may leave the party, but there's no need to pay them any heed,” Atram said. “Some members of my family want to use my political influence to join another party. For 40 years, politicians have defected, and now leaders from the Sharad Pawar faction are trying to divide my family and pit my daughter against me. Do not trust my son-in-law and daughter.”
He further emphasized, “These people have betrayed me. Everyone should throw them into the nearby Pranahita River. They are taking my daughter to their side and pitting her against her father. A girl who cannot stand by her father, how can she serve you? Think about this. What justice will she provide? Do not trust them.”
Atram reassured his supporters that despite this family dispute, he still has the backing of his other daughter, his son, his brother, and his cousin’s son. “The whole family stands behind me,” he declared, signaling that he is unfazed by the political challenge.
NCP national president Ajit Pawar, who previously distanced himself from his uncle and allied with the BJP and Shiv Sena, responded to Atram’s comments by urging Bhagyshree to reconsider. He said, “Dharmaraobaba has supported one of his family members as the president of the Zilla Parishad. Now, Bhagyshree is preparing to challenge him. Wrestling is popular in our culture, and not all skills are taught. I advise her not to make the same mistake and to stay with her father.”
