New Delhi: Political ambitions seem to have torn families apart in the coming Lok Sabha elections with siblings, in-laws, uncles and aunts all in the fray against one another. Interestingly, a majority of those contesting are from well-known political families.
A look at some contests among family members in the offing:
Sasaram (Bihar): Congress nominee and Speaker Meira Kumar will face her niece Medhavi Kirti in the family pocket borough of Sasaram in Bihar. Medhavi Kirti, who will fight on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket is the daughter of late Suresh Ram, the brother of Meira Kumar. Medhavi Kirti, who joined politics soon after post-graduating from New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, was a minister in the Devi Lal government in Haryana. Relations have not been cordial between Medhavi and her aunt for many years now, reportedly after a dispute over land at Palwal in Faridabad.
Saran (Bihar): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad’s brother-in-law Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav would contest the Lok Sabha election as an independent against his sister Rabri Devi. The former Bihar chief minister is already facing stiff challenge from senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy from the seat.
Dausa (Rajasthan): The Congress has fielded Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena from Dausa in Rajasthan, pitting him directly against his brother Harish Meena who is fighting on the BJP ticket. Namo Narain Meena currently represents the Sawai Madhopur seat, the seat which has now been given to former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin.
Raigunj (West Bengal): Sitting Congress MP Deepa Dasmunshi is contesting against brother-in-law Satyaranjan Dasmunshi of Trinamool Congress. (IANS)
