Switching parties is common in politics, especially when the elections are near and Maharashtra, which is gearing up for assembly elections, is witnessing the same trend. Leaders from across the parties are becoming turncoats. This has been further intensified by the emergence of strong bipolar alliances as leaders are also switching sides within the alliance to get candidacy.
In line with that, five BJP leaders have so far left the party to join its alliance partners in Maharashtra. These leaders include:
Nilesh Rane: Former BJP leader and son of Union Minister Nilesh Rane recently joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. He was eying to get the ticket from the Kudal–Sawantwadi assembly seat but it went to Shiv Sena under the Mahayuti seat-sharing formula. Hence, he joined the Shiv Sena. His father Narayan Rane personally met Eknath Shinde and talked to Devendra Fadnavis to get ticket for his son.
Shaina NC: Shaina NC is another name, who switched sides within Mahayuti. BJP leader for 20 years, Shaina was trying to get a BJP ticket on Worli seat but the BJP fileded former Congress leader Milind Deora in the constituency. Shiv Sena gave Shaina ticket from the Mumbadevi seat after which she joined Eknath Shinde-led party on Monday.
Sanajaykaka Patil: He left the BJP and joined NCP in the presence of party chief and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Soon after his induction, he was made the party candidate from the Tasgaon constituency.
Nishikant Bhosale: Nishikant Bhosale also switched sides to get an assembly ticket from the desired seat. He joined Ajit Pawar's NCP and got a ticket from the Islampur assembly constituency. After his induction, he said, "I had to shift to the NCP from the BJP as the Islampur assembly seat went to the NCP. I will win the election from the Islampur seat on the NCP ticket."
Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar: He also joined Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP to contest the Loha assembly seat. Former Nanded MP, Chikhalikar is two-time MLA from Loha.
Raj Kumar Badole: Former Minister and BJP leader, Badole joined Ajit Pawar's NCP to contest assembly elections from the Arjuni-Morgaon constituency. He has contested the seat on the BJP ticket in 2009 and 2014.
(With inputs from agencies)
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