NCP MP Udayanraje to join BJP on Sep 14 in PM Modi's presence

Ending days of speculation about him joining the BJP, NCP's Lok Sabha member Udayanraje Bhosale on Friday declared he is joining the ruling party in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday.

Bhosale, a descendant of Warrior King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and among the four NCP MPs from Maharashtra, made the announcement on Twitter.

Sharing a graphic on the micro-blogging site, Bhosale said Union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil will also attend the Delhi event.

The development came a day after Bhosale, MP from Satara in western Maharashtra, met NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Pune on Thursday.

"I received inspiration to carry out social work based on the love and blessings of you all. Hoping the same love and blessings will be there forever with me," Bhosale tweeted.

Bhosale's cousin Shivendrasinh, who represented the Satara seat for the NCP in Maharashtra Assembly, joined the BJP on July 31.

Bhosale's decision is a jolt to the 20-year-old NCP whose many prominent leaders, including some former ministers, have quit the party to join the BJP and Shiv Sena ahead of next month's state Assembly elections.