The Opposition NCP on Wednesday suffered a setback ahead of the Maharashtra legislative Council polls, as its MlC Niranjan Dhavkhare resigned from the party and appeared poised to join the ruling BJP.
Niranjan, son of late NCP leader Vasant Dhavkhare who was a close associate of party founder-president Sharad Pawar, sent his resignation to State party president Jayant Patil.
Simultaneously, Niranjan called on State legislative Council chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and tendered his resignation as the member of the Upper House.
Jr Dhavkhare will join the BJP formally at a function to be held on Thursday in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Niranjan was a member of the Maharashtra legislative Council from Konkan Graduates’ constituency. His resignation comes barely a fortnight ahead of the polls to the Upper House.
Talking to media persons, Niranjan attributed his resignation from the NCP to “petty politics” at the local level. “My father was associated with the NCP right from the day of its formation in 199. I have watched the developments in the party from close quarters. The NCP was like family to me. But of late I was fed up with the local politics. .... I am extremely sad that I am leaving the NCP”. Niranjan’s exit from the NCP came as a jolt to the party leadership, considering that his father Vasant Dhavkhare had been associated with Pawar for nearly three decades.
Sr Dhavkhare passed away after protracted illness in January this year. He was a force to reckon with in Thane district where he had been elected as the Mayor of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in 1987.
late Dhavkhare was elected unopposed to the Maharashtra legislative Council in 1992. Subsequently, he was elected to the State legislative Council. He was elected as the deputy chairman of the State legislative Council once in 1998 and later in 2010.
The BJP is expected to nominate Niranjan as its candidate for the State legislative Council polls from Konkan Graduates’ Constituency which is going to polls along with three local body constituencies on June 8.