Shiv Sena’s Haji Arafat joins BJP

Mumbai: After being appointed president of the minorities' commission by the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government, Shiv Sena transport wing leader Haji Arafat joined the BJP.

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Mr Fadnavis Friday night decided on long-pending appointments to 10 corporations and to the minorities' commission.

Following his appointment as president of the minorities' commission, Arafat, who had been in-charge of the Sena transport wing, immediately joined the BJP after meeting Mr Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar.

NCP MLA Narendra Patil was appointed to the Annasaheb Patil Corporation and Prashant Thakur to CIDCO.

These leaders have good relations with the BJP which is trying to tap leaders from other parties who may prove useful in the coming elections. While Sena is a NDA partner and supporter, the BJP is also tapping leaders from the Sena along with those from the Congress and NCP. Arafat's joining the BJP came as a shock to the Sena however, he had had disputes with many Sena leaders and workers which is why his defection did not affect the Sena much, said a Sena leader.

Meanwhile, NCP state president Jayant Patil claimed that the BJP was wooing leaders from other parties with plum corporation posts.

Senior BJP leaders expressed displeasure with the “Aayaram” policy of the party where outsiders were walking away with posts even as workers within the party continued to be left high and dry when it came to positions.