Ex-BJP MLA Ghodmare joins NCP

At a time when leaders of the NCP and Congress are making a beeline to enter the ruling camp ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, former BJP MLA Vijay Ghodmare on Saturday chose to join the Sharad Pawar-led party.

Ghodmare, who had represented Hingana constituency in Nagpur district, made the formal crossover at the residence of Pawar in Mumbai, a party statement said.

Ghodmare said he was ready to work in whatever capacity the party chief wanted him to.

The NCP, once a ruling party in Maharashtra in alliance with the Congress, is now grappling with a crisis due to desertions by a number of leaders on the eve of elections.

Senior leaders like Udaynaraje Bhosale, who quit as an MP from Satara, former state minister Ganesh Naik, Sachin Ahir and Jaydutt Kshirasagar, MLAs Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Sandip Naik and Vaibhav Pichad among others have jumped the ship to join either the BJP or Shiv Sena.