In another setback to the ruling NCP in the run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly polls, its former Medical Education Minister Dr Vijaykumar Gavit and several of several of its office bearers from the tribal Nandurbar district in north-Maharashtra joined the BJP here on Saturday.

Gavit — who had been sacked from the State Cabinet at the NCP’s behest early this year after his daughter Heena contested the Nandurbar lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket against nine-term Congress MP Manikrao Gavit and won — formally entered the BJP in presence of leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse.

Welcoming the NCP’s former Medical Education Ministers and his supporters into the BJP at the State party quarters in south Mumbai, Khadse said that his party had decided to induct Gavit into his party as the charges of disproportionate made against the latter and his family members had not been proved yet. 

Gavit and his family members are being investigated by the State ACB in an alleged disproportionate assets case, claimed that false charges had been made against him by the local Congress leaders.

“I have not indulged in any illegal activity. Nor have the charges made against me by political rivals been proved yet. If I am found guilty in the case against me, I will not continue to remain in public life,” Gavit said

Given that he himself is an influential tribal leader in Nandurbar district — which has long been a traditional Congress bastion — and his daughter Heena is a sitting BJP MP, the entry of Gavit and his supporters to the BJP will provide big boost to the party ahead of the State Assembly polls.

In a related development, former MlA from Jalgaon Dr B S Patil also joined the BJP on the occasion.Apart from Khadse, an influential leader from north Maharashtra who was instrumental in bringing Gadvit, Patil and others to the BJP fold, sitting BJP MP from Nandurbar Heena Gavit, state party spokesperson Madhav Bhandari and several of the party leaders from Khandesh region were present.

The entry of Gavit, Patil and others to the BJP comes on the heels of several Congress-NCP leaders, including NCP’s former Union of Minister of State Suryakanta Patil, late senior Congress leader  S B Chavan’s son-in-law and former MP Bhaskaro Patil-Khatgaonkar, joining the party.

Apart from Suryankanta patil and Patil-Khatgaonkar, NCP’s former state minister Babarao Pachpute and former chief minister Ashok Chavan’s arch rival Dr Madhav Kinalkar also joined the BJP at a party  workers’ rally where the party’s national president Amit Shah launched the party’s campaign for the State Assembly polls on Thursday evening.