In yet another setback to Congress ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, senior party leader Padmakar Valvi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra on Wednesday. He switched sides in the presence of state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule and party leader Ashok Chavan in Mumbai.
Who is Padmakar Valvi?
Valvi, a former MLA representing the Shahada constituency in Nandurbar, previously held the position of sports minister in the state and was a notable figure within the grand old party in north Maharashtra.
In 2009, Valvi secured a victory in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections from the Shahada Constituency. However, he faced defeat in the 2014 elections. Speculation surrounding Valvi's potential switch to the BJP had been circulating for the past two years.
Valvi's decision to switch parties comes at a crucial juncture as both the NDA and I.N.D.I.A bloc parties are currently in discussions regarding a seat-sharing formula for Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls 2024.
What did Maharashtra BJP chief say?
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state president of the BJP in Maharashtra, has asserted that numerous Congress leaders are discontented with their party. He predicts that by the time the Lok Sabha elections roll around, the Maharashtra Congress will witness a significant depletion, possibly with 50 per cent of its leaders switching sides. "Leaders of Uddhav Thackeray's group are joining Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, while discontented Congress leaders will join BJP," Bawankule added.
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