Reports have claimed that MLC Pradnya Satav, wife of the late Congress leader Rajiv Satav, is set to join the BJP. Pradnya Satav is expected to formally join the BJP on December 18 ahead of crucial civic elections. It is being said that she took the decision after growing disillusioned with factionalism within the Congress over the past few days.
However, Congress Legislative Council group leader MLA Satej Patil has dismissed these reports, saying there is no truth to the claim. Speaking to ABP Live, Patil said he does not believe Pradnya Satav would take such a step and termed the reports baseless. Patil said the Congress had given Pradnya Satav the position of MLC and that he did not believe she would leave the party. He said the party would remain in touch with her and dismissed the speculation surrounding her possible defection.
After the death of Rajiv Satav, Pradnya Satav was nominated to the Legislative Council by the Congress. Rajiv Satav was considered a close aide of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. His political journey came to an abrupt end after he died during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
Pragya Satav, the wife of late Congress leader Rajiv Satav, is currently the vice-president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and an MLA of the Legislative Council. Rajiv Satav had served as the Member of Parliament from Hingoli district of Maharashtra between 2014 and 2019 and was regarded as one of the Gandhi family’s trusted leaders.
Pragya Satav was elected unopposed to the Legislative Council in 2021 in a by-election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Congress leader Sharad Ranpise. She was re-elected to the Council in the 2024 elections and her current term runs until 2030.
Who Was Rajiv Satav?
Rajiv Satav was widely known as one of Rahul Gandhi’s most trusted associates. During the 2014 Modi wave, he was one of only two Congress MPs elected from Maharashtra, which brought him national attention. Over the years, he held several key positions, including Panchayat Samiti member, Zilla Parishad member, MLA, Lok Sabha MP and Rajya Sabha MP.
He also served as state and national president of the Youth Congress, general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, Gujarat in-charge, and a member of the Congress Working Committee.