Indian

Mumbai: Nila Vikhe Patil, who was recently elected a member of Sweden's Parliament, has expressed surprise over her estranged uncle - a Maharashtra minister - and cousin for seeking to portray themselves as part of her political success. The uncle is Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil of BJP and the cousin is his son and former Lok Sabha member Sujay Vikhe Patil. Nila is the daughter of Radhakrishna's elder brother and educationist Dr Ashok Vikhe Patil.

"Somebody sent me a video where Sujay is seen boasting about how the Vikhe family ensured that its MP may have been defeated in Maharashtra but another member was elected in Sweden," Nila told PTI from Stockholm.

"This is surprising as I have never had any contact with either my uncle or cousin in over a decade. I have been visiting India regularly. Now, after my election as an MP, they want a piggyback ride," she said.

Sujay Vikhe Patil lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Ahilyanagar constituency to Nilesh Lanke of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

"Their politics is different from mine. I will never change my party. They have," said 41-year-old Nila, who was elected to the 349-member Parliament from the Stockholm City constituency in the national election held on September 13. She is a prominent member of the Green Party.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who joined the BJP in 2019, was with Congress and Shiv Sena earlier. While in Congress, he served as a cabinet minister and as the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

"It was nice of my uncle to have called me yesterday to congratulate me on my victory. But that's all. There has been no contact with him or my cousin in the last decade," she said.

Reacting to her victory, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil had described her election as a matter of "pride and joy" for the family. "This success she achieved is the recognition for her consistent efforts," he had told the media.

Born in Sweden, Nila completed her MBA in Economics and Law from Gothenburg School of Business and also at the University De Complutense before serving as a political advisor in the Swedish Prime Minister's Office.