Crisis stared at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with NCP MP from Madha Vijaysinh Mohite Patil and his son Ranjitsinh preparing to join the Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP). Following a marathon meeting with supporters on Tuesday, Ranjitsinh Patil announced that he will join BJP in the presence of CM Devendra Fadnavis today. However, his father, former Deputy CM Vijaysinh Mohite Patil is non-commital on the issue. Ranjitsinh is expected to fight the Lok Sabha polls from Madhaconstituency which is currently represented by his father Vijaysinh.
Ranjitsinh's announcement to join BJP comes a few hours after CM Fadnavis dropped a hint that the incoming of opposition leaders in BJP will continue unabated.
The decision comes close on the heels of NCP's insistence that Vijaysinh should recontest from Madha after Pawar decided not to fight from Madha which he had won in 2009 general election. NCP after considering intraparty feud reiterated that party could retain the seat if Mohite Patil senior contests considering his stature and work in the constituency during the last three decades. However, Vijaysinh refused NCP's offer citing financial crunch and proposed candidature for his son.
Ranjitsinh decision comes against the backdrop of extended parleys with CM confidante and Water resources minister Girish Mahajan last week who was instrumental to rope in Congress leader Sujay Vikhe Patil in BJP as well.
However, NCP state executive leader said that the party would not initiate fresh dialogue with Mohite Patil senior. "NCP wants Vijaysinh should contest and not hisson. It is up to them to chart the future course of action," he noted.
CLASH IN THE FAMILY
- If BJP fields Ranjitsinh from Madha constituency, and the NCP choses to retain its sitting MP and his father Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, it could witness an unprecedented father-son electoral contest in the state
- This will be the second major shock for the NCP which last week tottered on the brink over the candidature for Maval seat, torn between the NCP President Sharad Pawar and his grand-nephew Parth Ajit Pawar
