India, Dec. 31 -- The approaching municipal elections have left a bitter taste among loyal workers and local leaders across political parties, but a few senior leaders are laughing all the way to the nomination centres.

While an unprecedented number of rebels are protesting the way tickets were handed out, at least three politicians have walked away with a small bundle of nominations - for themselves, their spouses, siblings and even distant relatives. They are BJP leader Rahul Narwekar, Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik.

The BJP, which has always condemned dynastic politics, and even been vocal against it, put family first when it gave away three tickets to the Narwekar family. Rahul Narwekar's brother Makaran...