Maharashtra: Congress' Pravin Chheda and NCP state vp Bharati Pawar to join BJP

Pravin Chheda , a prominent face of Congress in BMC from Ghatkopar area and Dr Bharti Pawar, vice President of National Congress Party's (NCP) Maharashtra unit area are set to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, sources from the BJP said.

This comes days after Congress' Sujay Vikhe Patil quit as Maharashtra leader of Opposition and Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil of NCP quit his party.

On a closer look, this is 'ghar wapasi' for Chheda as the leader was initially in the BJP but later joined Congress. He was the leader of opposition in BMC before 2017 elections and was defeated in the Municipal Corporation Election by the BJP candidate in 2019.

Dr Bharti Pawar, as NCP candidate, had lost to the BJP's Harishchandra Chavan in the last Lok Sabha electons held in 2014. This time, the NCP has denied her ticket, fielding Dhanraj Mahale from the seat instead.

A few days ago, Ranjitsinh, son of Maharastra former deputy chief minister Vijaysinh Mohite Pati also joined the BJP.

Before that, Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of Congress leader and leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, had also joined the BJP.

Sources from the BJP have also claimed that several others leaders from the Congress, NCP and other parties in Maharashtra are in touch with the BJP and stressed more leaders having "big stature" will soon join their political quarter.