'Dopaharka Saamana' ex-executive editor joins BJP

In an embarrassment for the Shiv Sena, journalist Prem Shukla, the former executive editor of the Saamana Group's 'Dopaharka Saamana', joined the BJP here on Wednesday.

On December 31, Shukla, 46, had suddenly quit as the executive editor reportedly following political differences with Shiv Sena president and group managing editor Uddhav Thackeray and other top party leaders.

Recently, Shukla had a meeting with BJP president Amit Shah and other top leaders like Ravindra Bhusari and Ashish Shelar to finalise plans to induct him into the party fold. He was officially welcomed into the party here on Wednesday.

Official sources hinted that he was likely to be entrusted with a major national level party responsibility in due course.

Starting his career with 'Nirbhay Pathik', Shukla joined 'Dopaharka Saamana' as chief reporter in 1993, but quit after five years.

He rejoined the group and Thackeray appointed him as executive editor of the Hindi daily in 2005, after his predecessor and senior journalist Sanjay Nirupam quit the Shiv Sena to join Congress.

On December 31, 2015, Shukla emailed his resignation letter to Thackeray, who is also the chief trustee of the Prabodhan Publications, which published the Marathi 'Saamana' and its Hindi edition 'Dopaharka Saamana'.