Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party suffered another major jolt ahead of the Maharashtra assembly poll when its leaders joined the saffron party today. The leaders that joined the BJP are MLC Ramrao Wadkute and MLA Bappu Pathare. Both the leaders joined the BJP in the presence of Jagat Prakash Nadda.
#MaharashtraAssemblyPolls: #NCP MLC Ramrao Wadkute and former party MLA Bappu Pathare joined the #BJP on Tuesdayhttps://t.co/vK0MhBlGp0
— Financial Express (@FinancialXpress) October 15, 2019
Bappu Pathare is an MLA from Pune constituency while Ramrao Wadkute is a member of the Legislative Council from the Marathwada region. He was appointed from the governor’s quota in 2014. Ramrao Wadkute is a strong-voice of the Dhangar (shepherd) community. Wadkhute had submitted his resignation to the Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar on Monday.
Previously, NCP leader Namita Mundada had also joined the Bhartiya Janta Party. Continous high-profile exits from NCP has left the Sharad Pawar’s party in major dismay as the elections are approaching. NCP MP Udayanraje Bhosale had also left the party and joined the BJP on previous occasion.
Maharashtra state will go to the polls for its 288 assembly seats on October 21. Counting of votes will take place on October 24.
Important Dates for Maharashtra Polls-
- The detailed notification will be issued on September 27.
- The filing of nominations will begin from September 27 to October 4.
- Scrutiny of applications will be done on October 5.
- Nominations withdrawal can be done till October 7.
- Elections will take place on October 21.
- Counting of votes will be done on October 24.