The Maharashtra BJP on Wednesday landed a biggest catch in recent times, as nine prominent persons, including four sitting MLAs from the NCP and Congress, a former State NCP president, party’s former State women president and a retired IPS officer, joined the principal ruling party ahead of the State Assembly polls.
At a much-publicised function held in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP dwelt a severe blow to the two major Opposition parties, as it welcomed into its fold a host of their elected representatives, including NCP’s three sitting MLAs Shivrajendra Bhosale (Satara), Vaibhav Pichad (Akole in Ahmednagar district) and Sandeep Naik (Airoli in Navi Mumbai) and Congress’ sitting MLA Kalidas Kolumbar (Wadala in south-central Mumbai).
Apart from four sitting Opposition MLAs, NCP’s former state NCP president and Sharad Pawar’s erstwhile confidant Madhukar Pichad, Navi Mumbai’s former Mayor Sagar Naik, NCP’s former NCP women president Chitra Wagh, retired IAS officer Sahebrao Patil and social reformer Mahatma Phule’s descendant Neeta Hole also joined the BJP.
In addition, NCP’s 52 corporators from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) joined the BJP at the same function. However, contrary to earlier speculation, NCP’s former minister and Naik clan’s patriarch Ganesh Naik, whose sitting MLA son Sandeep Naik and nephew Sagar Naik joined the BJP along with 52 party corporators, has chosen to stay back in the Sharad Pawar-led party. With its 52 corporators having shifted the loyalties to the BJP, the NCP has lost power in the NMMC. The strength of the BJP in the 111-member NMMC has gone up to 90. Before long, the BJP will stake claim for power in the NMMC along with its ally Shiv Sena. Of the four MLAs who joined the BJP, Shivrajendra Bhosale, who represents Satara in western Maharashtra, is a prize catch for the BJP. He is the direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji and a cousin of another Shiv Shivaji scion and NCP MP Udyanraje Bhosale. Both the Bhosale cousins are at logger heads.