Mumbai, Maharashtra (October 14, 2024): Congress MLA Hiraman Khoskar from Igatpuri has joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, amid rising political activity in state ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections. Khoskar and his supporters officially joined the NCP at Pawar's residence in Mumbai o Monday.
Khoskar's departure marks a significant setback for the Congress party in Maharashtra.
Read Also | Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: Model Code of Conduct to Take Effect Within 24 Hours
Khoskar, who has been associated with the undivided NCP for over two decades, previously contested the 2019 state elections as a Congress candidate. He won the Igatpuri seat, defeating Shiv Sena’s Nirmala Gavit by a margin of over 31,000 votes.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections will be held in 288 constituencies; however, the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the election dates. The election will see a contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, comprising the UBT Shiv Sena, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, and the Mahayuti Alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).