Mumbai: Here the trouble seems to be mounting for the Congress party in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as another party leader is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday. Congress president of Satara district, Ranjitsingh Naik Nimbalkar will join the BJP tomorrow in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Nimbalkar is not the only leader who has given a jolt to the Congress party in Maharastra by switching sides. Last night, Congress MLA from Aurangabad Abdul Sattar met Fadnavis and Maharashtra's Cabinet Minister Girish Mahajan last night. As per sources, he may go solo or join the BJP.
Here it is to be noted that on Saturday, a purpoted audio clip of state Congres chief and MP Ashok Chavan surfaced on media in which he was heard saying that he is “in the frame of mind to resign”, giving shock waves to the grand old party. In another setback to the Congress, on Friday, party leader Pravin Chheda joined the BJP in presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister. Earlier this month, reports of senior Congress leader Kalidas Kolambkar changing political sides also came in after he replaced the Congress signboard outside his office and put up Fadnavis’ portrait there. Kolambkar, the seven-time MLA from Wadala-Naigaon constituency will join the BJP this month.
However, the series of defections have brought to the fore the internal fissures in the Congress and growing resentment among the party workers in Maharashtra. The 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra will go to poll in four phases. The Congress and NCP are fighting together in the state on 26 and 22 seats respectively.
