Maharashtra polls: Advantage BJP, as top Congress, NCP leaders to join party today

As Maharashtra polls draw closer, NCP leader Ganesh Naik and Congress leader Harshvardhan Patil are likely to join the ruling BJP.

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Maharashtra polls: Advantage BJP, as top Congress, NCP leaders to join party today
While Ganesh Naik (left) has significant hold over the Navi Mumbai area, Harshvardhan Patil (right) is a three-time state minister. (Photos: Facebook)

With just over a month left for the Maharashtra assembly polls, the ruling Bharata Janata Party (BJP) will get yet another shot in the arm today as top leaders from the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will be joining the party. Former minister Harshvardhan Patil (Indapur, Pune) of the Congress and Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik of the NCP will be the top names in the list joining the BJP in presence of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.

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Harshvardhan Patil's exit is likely to be a big setback for the Congress as he has been a top leader of the party in the state. He has been an MLA four times from the Indapur Assembly seat in Pune District. Patil also has a record of serving as a minister in all state governments from 1995 to 2014.

In 1995, 1999 and 2004 he was elected as an Independent candidate, while in 2009 he contested on a Congress ticket. In 1995, he supported the Shivsena-BJP government and was also made a minister.

Patil's fight in local politics has always been against the NCP. In 2014, when the Congress and NCP broke ties, Harshvardhan Patil lost to NCP candidate Datta Bharane. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Patil patched up with the Pawars and supported Supriya Sule on the Baramati Lok Sabha seat.

He was upset with the NCP alleging that the party will not keep its word on helping him in the forthcoming assembly polls. Patil wants to contest from Indapur while the local NCP leaders are not willing to give away the seat. The Indapur constituency, however, is with the Shivsena.

With Patil joining the BJP and wanting to contest from the constituency, the BJP will have to exchange the seat with ally Shivsena.

Another big name joining the BJP on Wednesday is that of Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik. His son and Airoli MLA Sandeep already joined the BJP last month. The Naik family has ruled the satellite town of Navi Mumbai for years. Ganesh Naik has been a cabinet minister for 15 years holding important portfolios. Naik's other son, Sanjeev was elected as an MP from Thane in 2009.

The cash-rich Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation is ruled by Naik family supporters.

55 corporators belonging to the NCP will also join the BJP, bringing the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation under BJP rule.

However, sitting BJP MLA from Navi Mumbai Manda Mhatre and Ganesh Naik do not see eye to eye and are sworn political enemies. The BJP state leadership may have to face some tough times in keeping the peace between the warring factions of Mhatre and Naiks.