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Maharashtra: Congress leader's son joins BJP

| @indiablooms | Mar 12, 2019, at 01:52 pm

Mumbai, Mar 12 (IBNS/UNI): In a jolt to the Congress ahead of the General Elections, top Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's son Sujay joined the Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here on Tuesday.

Sujay Vikhe Patil joined the saffron party in presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Sujay was reportedly upset after his party did not project him as the candidate from the Ahmednagar seat.

"I am impressed with PM Modi's leadership. We can count on BJP," Sujay said while addressing reporters after joining the saffron party.

Sources suggested that Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil could probably resign from his post by evening, though he remained unavailable for comment throughout the day.

Interestingly, so far, it was not clear if Sujay would contest on a BJP ticket from Ahmednagar in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

But changing party is not something new to Vikhe family as his father Radhkrishna joined Shiv Sena and became agriculture minister while his grandfather Balasaheb Vikhe Patil also joined Sena and was union minister of state for finance.

The defection has Pawar-Vikhe conflict angle which started in 1991 and the matter even went upto the Supreme court.

According to some news reports, Congress leader from West Bengal, Deepa Dasmunsi, is also likely to join the BJP.

At a time the Congress leaders are switching sides, the country's oldest party is holding its working committee's meeting in Gujarat.

In an apparent boost for the party, Patidar leader Hardik Patel will join the Congress in Gujarat, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home turf.

Image Credit: File

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