Disgruntled Cong leader Sujay Vikhe Patil likely to join BJP

In a jolt to the Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra, disgruntled Congress leader Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, is likely to join the BJP on Tuesday.

This reportedly comes after NCP chief Sharad Pawar denied Sujay's request to contest the impending general elections from Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat, despite Sujay's father meeting Pawar multiple times over his son's request.

"Ahmednagar seat was always our seat, there was no point in giving that seat to anyone else. If you look back, NCP even defeated late Balasaheb Vikhe Patil from there and I personally had to face legal case in court from Vikhe Patil following that. Joining our party was an open option but at no point of time that seat could have been taken away from NCP," said Pawar.

On the other hand, BJP is leaving no stone unturned to rope in the disgruntled father-son duo into their party.

Earlier today, in a surprise announcement, Pawar said he will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, less than a month after declaring that he would enter the poll fray.

The 78-year-old Rajya Sabha member and former Union Minister, instead, decided to launch his grand nephew Parth from Maval constituency.

NCP is contesting the polls in alliance with the Congress in Maharashtra where 48 LokSabha seats are at stake.