The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started preparations for the upcoming civic polls. Recently, Uddhav Sena leaders Sudhakar Badgujar and Babanrao Gholap joined the BJP. Two more former MLAs from north Maharashtra are also set to join the BJP. The inductions will take place on July 1 and 2. This is expected to strengthen the BJP ahead of the local body elections.
Recently, Kunal Patil, MLA from Dhule, met Minister Jaykumar Rawal. After the meeting, there were speculations that he would join the BJP. Now, on Tuesday, July 1, Kunal Patil will officially join the party. Kunal Patil also claimed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had personally invited him to join the BJP during both the 2014 Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“I am joining the BJP without any conditions or assurances,” Kunal Patil said, adding that it was the party workers who were insisting on his induction.
Kunal Patil is the son of senior Congress leader Rohidas Patil, and his family has been active in the Congress for three generations. For the past two months, there has been speculation that Kunal Patil would quit the Congress and join the BJP. Although Patil had denied these talks until recently, he refrained from making any official announcement even during a rally of his supporters. It is now clear that he will join the BJP.
Meanwhile, former NCP MLA from Nashik and state vice-president Apoorva Hire is also set to join the BJP along with his supporters at the BJP’s state office in Mumbai on Wednesday. BJP national president J.P. Nadda personally called Dr. Hire and invited him to join the party officially.
“We met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan in Mumbai to discuss the matter, and after that, we decided to formally join the party,” Hire said.