The ruling BJP suffered yet another setback ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls on Friday, as former Minister and its senior leader from western Maharashtra Harshvardhan Patil announced his decision to quit the saffron party and join the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Patil’s announcement came a day after he met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar at the latter’s “Silver Oak” residence in south Mumbai.

Patil, it may be recalled, had quit the Congress and joined the BJP in the run-up to the October 2019 State Assembly polls.

Patil’s decision to join the NCP (SP) stems from the realisation that he will not be able to contest from home constituency of Indapur, a seat he had represented for four consecutive terms from 1995 to 2009.

Welcoming Patil to his party, NCP (AP) chief Sharad Pawar said: “I welcome Harshvardhan Patil’s decision. We expect many party workers to return to the party in the coming days. All those who believe in the ideology of the NCP (AP) are always welcome”

Patil had wanted to the contest the 2024 State Assembly polls on a BJP ticket from Indapur, a wish he had recently conveyed to deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.

However, coalition compulsions within the ruling MahaYuti — comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP - has made it impossible for Patil to contest the State Assembly polls from Indapur.

Because, NCP (AP) chief Ajit Pawar meanwhile, went ahead and announced sitting MLA Dattatray Vithoba Bharne — who had won the elections in 2014 and 2019 from the undivided NCP — as his party candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.

A four-time MLA, Patil — who had been elected to the State Assembly from Indapur constituency in 1995, 1999 and 2004 as an Independent and in 2009 as a candidate from the Congress — is likely to be fielded as an NCP (AP) candidate from Indapur in the 2024 Assembly polls. 

Talking to media persons, Patil said: “I have been travelling across the Indapur constituency and meeting people from various sections for the last two months. People have been insisting that I should contest the Assembly election”

“I had a detailed discussion with Fadnavis…since the Indapur seat is going to the sitting MLA from Maha Yuti (Bharne), he (Fadnavis) assured me of another option. Though the option would have been feasible for me, it would not have been acceptable to my supporters and people from my constituency,” Patil said.

“During my meeting with Pawar sahib yesterday, he told me that since my supporters want me to contest from Indapur, I should take a call... I spoke to my supporters and have decided to join the NCP (SP),” Patil said.

Welcoming Patil’s entry to her party, Baramati MP and NCP (SP) Working President Supriya Sule said: “The family relations between Pawar family and Patil family go back to six decades…I welcome him to the NCP.

Patil is the Chairman of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories

Patil’s entry to the NCP (SP) comes close on the heels of Raje Samarjeetsinh Ghatge, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Kolhapur, quitting the saffron party, joining the Sharad Pawar-led party.

Similarly, in a “ghar-wapsi” of sorts, three-time former MP and BJP leader from Gondia in Vidarbha region Gopaldas Agrawal had quit the saffron party on September 13, and joined the Opposition Congress.

Both NCP (SP) and Congress are constituents of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVS).