‘Shouldn’t deny deserving candidate ticket because he’s from political family’, says Sumitra Mahajan

Veteran BJP leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Mahajan is said to be seeking a party ticket for son Mandhar, for upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

Ticket distribution should be decided only on merit, competency and winnability, said senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sumitra Mahajan in an interview with  but added that descendants of political families should not be denied party tickets simply because of their family links.

Mahajan’s comments come at a time when the BJP has been targeting rival parties on “dynastic politics”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also repeatedly spoken about his decision that the BJP will not give tickets to children of MLAs and MPs.

The veteran BJP leader was in news last week when responding at an event in Indore, while responding to a question posed by a journalist on defection by party members, she said, “I can’t speak for those who are leaving the party, but I will speak for those who have been in the party for years and have been serving the party with dedication. I am one of them, there are many others like me. The party should pay attention to these workers.”

Mahajan, a former Union minister and the first BJP leader to become the Lok Sabha speaker in 2014, desisted from standing for the 2019 elections, reportedly because of an unspoken party policy of not fielding leaders above the age of 75 years, to allow younger leaders a chance to grow. The veteran leader is, however, now said to be looking to field her son, Mandhar Mahajan, in this year’s coming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

Talking about the BJP stand on giving tickets to those from political families, Mahajan — fondly addressed as ‘Tai’ or elder sister — said, “if he [the candidate] deserves a ticket, he should not be denied ticket only because he comes from a political family, but if he does not deserve [a ticket], he should be not be given ticket only because of family influence. There can not be any hard-and-fast rule on deciding ticket distribution to those from political families. I have been saying this for many years, if any politician’s kin deserves a ticket, then don’t make him sit at home because of any rule.”

Responding to her comments, Bhagwandas Sabnani, Madhya Pradesh BJP general secretary said the “party always gives ticket after analysing winnability and merit”.

According to party sources, Mahajan is seeking a ticket for her son from the Rau assembly constituency in Indore. The former speaker herself had won eight Lok Sabha elections in the past from Indore.

Her comments on giving tickets to candidates from political families come in the wake of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inducting former CM Uma Bharti’s nephew, Rahul Lodhi into cabinet, in a move that is largely being interpreted as an attempt to mollify Bharti and the influential Lodhi community in the state.

Bharti is said to have nursed a grudge against Chouhan ever since the party high command ignored her claims to the MP CM’s chair, to install Chouhan in the seat.

Mahajan, in her interview with also dispelled allegations of anti-incumbency sentiments against the Chouhan government — citing the many women-centric schemes introduced by the Madhya Pradesh CM — claimed Jyotiraditya Scindia’s entry into BJP in 2020 — along with 22 Congress MLAs, paving the way for the collapse of Kamal Nath-led Congress party in MP and the return to power of the BJP — has made the party stronger, and voiced support for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ model being deliberated by the government.