Basavaraj Patil, who resigned from Congress earlier today, joined the BJP in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other party leaders.
Patil Murmukar, a two-term MLA from the Ausa constituency in Maharashtra, holds sway as a prominent Lingayat leader in the Marathwada region. He previously served as a state minister during his first term, adding to his stature within the political landscape.
This move follows a series of notable departures from the Congress in Maharashtra, including former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, ex-Union Minister Milind Deora, and parliamentary board member Baba Siddique. Chavan has aligned with the BJP, Deora is associated with the Shiv Sena, and Siddique has joined Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The shifting political allegiances highlight the dynamic nature of Maharashtra's political scene, especially with key leaders switching alliances ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019 polls, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance secured 41 out of 48 seats, with the BJP winning 23 and the Shiv Sena securing 18. The Congress managed to retain only one seat, while the NCP held onto four of its seats. In the 2014 elections, the BJP won 23 seats, the Shiv Sena secured 18, and the Congress faced a decline, securing only two seats compared to its 17-seat tally in 2009. Sharad Pawar's NCP won four seats in the 2014 polls.