The rule of maharajas has faded away long ago but the royalty still exist in states like UP and they are quite eager to participate in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Politics is now the only way these “Nawabs” and royal families can remain in public life. The strong point they highlight is their family legacy and often it is enough to convince the public.
The royal descendants
Let us look at some of the members of royal families participating in the coming Lok Sabha election.
Uttar Pradesh
Kazim Ali Khan who is a descendant of the Nawab of Rampur is contesting the elections from Rampur under Congress ticket. Earlier he was a minister for short term during 2003 and MLA in Suar Tanda constituency between 1995 and 2004. Similarly, Kazim’s mother, Begum Noor Bano is contesting from Moradabad as Congress candidate.
She was also MP of Rampur twice, during 1996 and 1999. Even Kazim’s father, Zulfiquar Ali was MP from the same place five times between 1967 and 1989.
Next, we look at Ratna Singh who has been MP of Pratapgarh several times as Congress candidate and fighting for the same seat this Lok Sabha election. The main reason she gets elected most of the time is due to the fact that she is rajkumari of Kalakankar state of Pratapgarh. She is continuing the family legacy where her father was MP from the same seat 4 times between 1967 and 1989.
Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, also many members of the erstwhile royal families are taking part in the elections with three as Congress candidates and one for BJP.
Chandresh Kumari Katoch is fighting from Jodhpur as Congress nominee. A union minister, she is seventy year old and daughter of earlier Maharaja of Jodhpur Hanumant Singh. This year even her husband who is from princely family in Kangra is taking part in her election campaigns.
Next, we look at Jitendra Singh who is presently a union minister in Congress government and is part of the royal family of Alwar. Similarly in Kota Ijyaraj Singh is also a royal descendant and contesting on a Congress ticket. In Jhalawar Baran seat, we have Dholpur royalty Dushyant Singh who is son of Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Madhya Pradesh
Like other states, we have royalty fighting this Lok Sabha election with Gwalior royalty Jyotiraditya Scindia fighting from Guna. Likewise, Lakshman Singh who is also a royal descendant is contesting the elections from Rajgarh.
Thus as we can see many of the names in this year’s Lok Sabha election are descendant from royal families and banking on their family legacy to win the votes. Many of them are known to be incompetent and it remains a question whether they should be winning the elections just because of their royal background.
