Ignoring BJP calls not to involve the President or her kin in electoral politics, the Congress today announced that Pratibha Patil?s son Rajendra Shekhawat would be its candidate from Amravati in the Maharashtra Assembly elections next month.

Justifying the selection of Shekhawat ? he was called ?a dedicated party worker? ? the party dashed the hopes of sitting Amravati MLA and Minister Sunil Deshmukh.

With the children of other leaders also clamouring for poll tickets, the party announced candidates for 159 of the 174 seats it is going to contest under a poll pact with the NCP. It delayed announcement for seats being eyed by the kin of party heavyweights.

Former Union minister and veteran Congressman Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil?s son Radhakrishna, minister for school education, figured in the first list as the party nominee from Shirdi.

Union minister for heavy industries and former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who succeeded in making his brother Dilip Deshmukh a member of the state legislative council and minister for sports, is now seeking a ticket for son Amit from Latur (Rural). Until now, Amit has been looking after the family business and managing his father?s election campaign.

Former Union home minister Shivraj Patil?s daughter-in-law Archana is interested in contesting from Latur (City).

Veteran Congress leader and Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde?s daughter Praniti is seeking a ticket from Solapur city. In 2004, Shinde?s wife Ujwala had contested the Solapur Lok Sabha seat, but was defeated by BJP?s Subhash Deshmukh. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Shinde got elected from the constituency. Shinde?s son-in-law Raj Shroff is interested in contesting from Malabar Hill in Mumbai, Congress sources said.

Deputy chief minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP) is seeking another term from Yevla (Nashik) constituency. His nephew Sameer has already been elected to the Lok Sabha from Nashik, while Bhujbal?s son Pankaj is seeking nomination from Nandgaon in Nashik.

Maharashtra?s Minister for Industries Narayan Rane ? who switched over from the Shiv Sena to the Congress in 2005 ? has been granted a ticket from Kudal as his Malwan seat was wiped off the map in the delimitation exercise. Rane?s elder son Nilesh got elected to Lok Sabha from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and now, his younger son Nitesh, who is a Youth Congress office-bearer in Mumbai, is seeking a ticket.

The president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Manikrao Thakre?s son Rahul also wants to contest, preferably from a constituency in Vidarbha. Charulata Tokas, daughter of his predecessor and now Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Prabha Rau, is also interested in contesting.

State environment minister and NCP leader Ganesh Naik?s son Sanjeev Naik got elected to the Lok Sabha from Thane recently. Now, his second son Sandeep is seeking a ticket from Belapur.

NCP chief and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar?s nephew Ajit Pawar is seeking re-nomination from Baramati. Ajit Pawar is serving his third successive term in the Assembly. Sharad Pawar?s daughter Supriya Sule has already been elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati ? the constituency nurtured by her father ? prompting him to shift to Madha (Solapur) to enter the Lok Sabha.

Across the political divide, BJP?s general secretary Gopinath Munde has succeeded in getting tickets for his daughter Pankaja and Poonam Mahajan, daughter of slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, his brother-in-law. While Pankaja will contest from Parli in Munde?s stronghold of Beed district, Poonam has been nominated by the party from Ghatkopar (West) in Mumbai.