Nila Vikhe Patil, Maharashtra BJP minister's niece, elected to Sweden Parliament

She previously served as a political adviser in the Swedish Prime Minister's Office during Stefan Lofven's tenure, working on finance, taxation and housing.Nila was born in Sweden but spent her early years in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. (Source: LinkedIn/Nila Vikhe Patil)Nila Vikhe Patil, a Green Party leader with roots in Maharashtra, has been elected to Sweden’s Parliament from Stockholm City. Nila entered the 349-member Riksdag as Sweden’s left-leaning Opposition secured a narrow majority.Born in Sweden, the 41-year-old spent her early years in Ahmednagar before returning to build a career in Swedish politics.Nila is the daughter of Maharashtra educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil and the granddaughter of former Union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil. She is also the niece of Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.“I hope to make my grandfather proud. He made me read the state budget when I was 15,” she told PTI after her election. FROM AHMEDNAGAR TO SWEDISH POLITICSNila has worked in Swedish politics for several years. She served as an adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office during Stefan Lofven’s tenure, handling issues related to finance, taxation and housing.She was later elected to the Stockholm City Council and served on the Green Party’s election committee in the city. Her other roles include positions in the Swedish Young Greens, Green Party Gothenburg and Green Students of Sweden. She has also been a member of the executive committee of the party’s Stockholm unit.Nila holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the Gothenburg School of Business, where she studied economics and law. She also studied at the Complutense University of Madrid.As a member of Parliament, she plans to focus on children’s welfare and the environment. “I would like to be a voice for those who cannot vote and contribute to the city and the country,” she said.CONNECTION WITH INDIANila said she remains closely connected to India despite living and working in Sweden. “I love India dearly and feel very connected. I have many close Indian friends,” she said.Her family has long been associated with politics, education and the cooperative movement in Maharashtra. Her great-grandfather, Vithalrao Vikhe Patil, founded Asia’s first cooperative sugar factory.She also recalled her close relationship with Balasaheb Vikhe Patil. “I miss my grandfather a lot. He used to call me almost every week during his final years,” she said.SWEDEN’S LEFT WINS NARROW MAJORITYSweden’s four left-leaning opposition parties won 176 seats, three more than the parties forming or supporting the outgoing conservative-led government.Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced his resignation after the results were declared. Former prime minister Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats emerged as the largest party with 99 seats.The narrow margin, however, could complicate government formation because of differences within the opposition bloc. Andersson will need to negotiate among parties with competing positions before forming the next government.- Ends(With inputs from PTI)Published By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 19, 2026 23:00 IST