Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The daughter-in-law of former Lok Sabha speaker and Congress stalwart Shivraj Patil, Dr Archana Patil Chakurkar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (March 30). The development comes days before the Lok Sabha elections in the country starting April 19. She had met Fadnavis at his official residence 'Sagar' in south Mumbai on Friday.
Archana Patil Chakurkar earlier said she had planned to join the BJP along with former state minister Baswaraj Murumkar, a close aide of Shivraj Patil, on Monday but postponed the plan due her daughter's wedding.
She is the chairperson of Lifecare Hospital and Research Centre in Udgir and her husband Shailesh Patil Chandurkar is state secretary of the Congress.
Shivraj Patil was Union home minister between 2004 and 2008 in the Congress-led UPA government.
Fadnavis welcomes her into party
Welcoming Archana Patil into the BJP, Fadnavis said that her joining will strengthen the party.
"Shivraj Patil is a very powerful leader. Today Archana Patil from her family is entering our party, it is a big thing. Shivraj Patil has a big heritage.. Archana has come with that heritage.. This will strengthen the party. Impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work, she has joined the party," he said.
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