For the devout and travel buffs, Nanded is the site of a beautiful Gurudwara and several sufi shrines but for political watchers, it’s the region that gave Maharashtra it’s first and, until now, only father-son duo to become the chief ministers of Maharashtra. Shankarrao Chavan served as the chief minister twice while his son Ashok Chavan was Maharashtra’s chief minister between 2008 and 2010. Shankarrao’s term as the CM coincided with the Emergency of 1975 and it was publicly known that the Maharashtra CM had to seek an appointment with Sanjay Gandhi to be able to meet the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In his illustrious career, Shankarrao was elected to the Rajya Sabha and served as union minister for home, defence and finance. He’s credited with setting up several educational institutes in Nanded from where his political career flourished. With his political influence and educational empire, the Chavan family wielded considerable clout over the politics of the region and were responsible for spreading the Congress party in this part of Marathwada.
His son Ashok followed him into the Congress and served as minister in various departments including the CM’s post. His party forced him to resign in 2010 over corruption charges for his alleged role in the Adarsh Housing Society controversy.
The electorate remained unaffected by the allegations and Chavan won the 2014 general elections but lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to a BJP candidate. In a surprise turn of events, Chavan joined the BJP in February 2024 allegedly on the heels of an impending inquiry against him in the Adarsh matter.
The Chavan family is deeply entrenched in public life. Chavan’s wife Ameeta contested the 2014 legislative assembly elections from Bhokar when he vacated that seat after getting elected to the Lok Sabha.
His brother-in-law Bhaskarrao Bapurao Khatgaonkar Patil has been a three-time Member of Parliament and has also served in the Maharashtra legislative assembly.
The third generation of the Chavan family is now set to enter politics as Ashok’s daughter Shreejaya being given the candidature by the BJP for the coveted Bhokar seat which has been held by the Congress for several years since the 1950s.
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