August 09, 2026 09:38 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
‘A morning I will cherish’: Raghav Chadha meets PM Modi, shares photos from ‘enriching’ meeting | Delhi Mercedes crash kills 70-year-old woman: Cop’s son behind wheel, beer bottle found | Indian-origin woman accused of ‘visa fraud’ on X: US Attorney steps in with major clarification | US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill: India can face Trump’s 100% tariff threat | Expired meat, rotten vegetables found at Bengaluru's luxury hotels, legal action begins | 'I'm ready to be humiliated': Vijay, Udhayanidhi Stalin clash in Tamil Nadu Assembly over Cauvery dispute | 'They don't need Mohan Bhagwat's certificate': Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's sharp reply to RSS chief's Gen Z remark | 'Students, Gen Z, ask me anything': Rahul Gandhi launches Instagram Q&A, responds to Jharkhand protest | PM Modi goes Gen Z, urges Indians to share 'Get Ready With Me' videos on National Handloom Day | Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal sentenced to 10-year jail term in 2013 rape case as Bombay HC overturns acquittal

Maharashtra: Congress leader's son joins BJP

| @indiablooms | Mar 12, 2019, at 01:52 pm

Mumbai, Mar 12 (IBNS/UNI): In a jolt to the Congress ahead of the General Elections, top Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's son Sujay joined the Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here on Tuesday.

Sujay Vikhe Patil joined the saffron party in presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Sujay was reportedly upset after his party did not project him as the candidate from the Ahmednagar seat.

"I am impressed with PM Modi's leadership. We can count on BJP," Sujay said while addressing reporters after joining the saffron party.

Sources suggested that Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil could probably resign from his post by evening, though he remained unavailable for comment throughout the day.

Interestingly, so far, it was not clear if Sujay would contest on a BJP ticket from Ahmednagar in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

But changing party is not something new to Vikhe family as his father Radhkrishna joined Shiv Sena and became agriculture minister while his grandfather Balasaheb Vikhe Patil also joined Sena and was union minister of state for finance.

The defection has Pawar-Vikhe conflict angle which started in 1991 and the matter even went upto the Supreme court.

According to some news reports, Congress leader from West Bengal, Deepa Dasmunsi, is also likely to join the BJP.

At a time the Congress leaders are switching sides, the country's oldest party is holding its working committee's meeting in Gujarat.

In an apparent boost for the party, Patidar leader Hardik Patel will join the Congress in Gujarat, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home turf.

Image Credit: File

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.