Minister’s daughter joins NCP (SP), may contest against father

Mumbai: NCP leader and food and drugs administration minister Dharamraobaba Atram’s daughter Bhagyashri Atram on Thursday joined the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), providing a major boost to the party in the Maoist-insurgency affected Gadchiroli district and the larger Vidarbha region ahead of the assembly polls.
HT had on September 9 reported about the possibility of Bhaygashri joining the Sharad Pawar-led party and contesting the upcoming election from the Aheri assembly seat, currently held by her father. NCP chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had tried to dissuade her from such a move, saying she should not rebel against her own father.
On Thursday, speaking at a well-attended rally in Aheri to mark her induction into NCP (SP), Bhagyashri mounted a scathing attack on Ajit Pawar, saying it was he who had urged her earlier to rebel against her father, who was considering joining the BJP. “When Baba was on the BJP’s path in 2019, Ajitdada gave me the B form and told me to stand against him. Jayant Patil is a witness to this,” she said, with state NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil and former home minister Anil Deshmukh seated on the dais.
Bhagyashri said she was repaying a favour by joining the Sharad Pawar-led party. “When Baba was kidnapped by Maoists in 1991, it was Sharad Pawar who mediated for him. I cannot forget his favour,” she said. She also urged Ajit Pawar to return to the party, saying, “Ajitdada admitted that he made a mistake (by splitting the NCP). Join the Sharad Pawar-led party and correct the mistake.”
The Atrams, descendants of the Aheri royal family, have long been influential in Vidarbha’s politics. Dharamraobaba Atram, a four-time MLA, was once considered close to Sharad Pawar, but he shifted his allegiance to Ajit Pawar when the party split in June 2023. He was subsequently made a minister in the state government.
“Bhagyashri used to meet us regularly and express discontent over her father’s decision,” state NCP (SP) chief told the audience. “She was also concerned over issues the constituency continued to face even after her father became a minister.” Lauding Bhagyashri for deciding to join hands with Sharad Pawar, Patil said, “It’s time for all of us to work together to strengthen Pawar saheb once again.”
The food and drugs administration minister had, on Saturday, accused his daughter and son-in-law of betraying him and said they should be thrown into the Pranhita river. Appearing keen on reconciliation, Bhagyashri said on Thurday, “Dharamraobaba Atram is my father and I will seek his blessings.”