Fury of a bahu scorned

She nursed an urge to publicly upstage her father-in-law, Congress heavyweight in Latur, former CM and incumbent Maharashtra minister for Re...

She nursed an urge to publicly upstage her father-in-law, Congress heavyweight in Latur, former CM and incumbent Maharashtra minister for Revenue Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar, and make a point he won’t forget in a hurry. She did just that when the BJP — her new home — offered a ticket to take on the prestige of her father-in-law on his home turf.

Meet Roopa Patil Nilangekar, new entrant into electoral politics who is giving Congress candidate from Latur and former LS Speaker Shivraj Patil a run for his money. While Patil is seeking an eighth term, this is Roopa’s first election.

Though the 46-year-old Roopa has been brought up on a steady diet of Congress ideology for over three decades, she speaks with ease on her new-found love for the BJP.

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Roopa is focussed on her priorities — the only one for the moment is to humble her father-in-law who sent her packing from his house after the death of her husband Dilip. ‘‘I was like a sapling growing under the shade of a banyan tree. Even if the sapling grows it will always remain in the shade. Since my father-in-law is a heavyweight in the Congress, he will never let me have any political ambitions. I left to let my dreams come true.’’

Roopa’s husband was an MLA. Her father Pratapsinh Chalukya and brother Shivajirao are sugar barons of the region. In fact, her brother commands a formidable vote bank in the Umerga belt of Latur. Now, the once faithful Congressmen, the Chalukyas have followed their kin to the BJP.

Interestingly, Sonia’s roadshow passed through the belt. ‘‘I may be a novice in politics but I got Sonia’s roadshow to pass through my belt. Now, am I a weak candidate?’’ she asks. She will have to wait for the answer.