Mumbai: Reports of senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil joining the BJP gained further traction on Thursday as he attended a meeting to review preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Ahmednagar.
The meeting was summoned and chaired by his son, Sujay Vikhe-Patil, who is contesting on a BJP ticket from Ahmednagar. The Congress leader, who is currently the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, is likely to join the BJP in the presence of Mr Modi at his rally Friday. Sujay is pitted against NCP's Sangram Jagtap in Ahmednagar.
According to BJP sources, Mr Vikhe-Patil and NCP heavyweight Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil have decided to follow in the footsteps of their sons and join the BJP. The schedule for both the leaders’ entry into the BJP has been finalised, and they will join the party in the presence of Mr Modi.
While Mr Vikhe-Patil will join the BJP on April 12 in Ahmednagar, Mr Mohite-Patil will do so at Akluj in Solapur district on April 17.
“A rally of Mr Modi has been planned in Ahmednagar on April 12, where Mr Vikhe-Patil will join the BJP along with some disgruntled leaders of the Congress. Mr Mohite-Patil and his supporters will join the BJP in a rally on April 17, which will be held in Akluj,” said a BJP insider.
The sons of Mr Vikhe-Patil and Mr Mohite-Patil both joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Mr Vikhe-Patil’s son Sujay joined the BJP last month after the NCP refused to vacate the Ahmednagar seat for him. The BJP later gave him a ticket from the same constituency.
Mr Mohite-Patil, who is the sitting MP of the NCP from the Madha constituency, was not happy about the party’s decision to reject his son Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil’s claim on the seat. He was also denied a ticket from Madha as Mr Pawar had announced that he would contest from the constituency. However, Mr Pawar later announced that he was not interested in contesting. Following this, Ranjitsinh decided to quit the NCP and join the BJP.
