12 April,2024 01:57 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil. Pic/Facebook
In a setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Solapur district of Maharashtra ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil has resigned from the party and is likely to join the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), reported the PTI.
Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, who was the general secretary of the BJP in Solapur district, tendered his resignation in a letter dated April 10 to party's state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule citing personal reasons, as per the PTI.
A day earlier, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar had announced that Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil will join his party in the presence of its state unit president Jayant Patil.
"Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil will join our party in the next two days in the presence of party state president Jayant Patil," Sharad Pawar told reporters on Thursday, according to the PTI.
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Speculation is rife that the NCP (SP) will field Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil from Madha Lok Sabha constituency in Solapur against BJP's sitting MP Ranjit Naik-Nimbalkar, the news agency reported on Friday.
Office-bearers quit MNS in protest after Raj Thackeray declares support to Mahayuti
Meanwhile, many office-bearers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have reportedly resigned in protest after party chief Raj Thackeray declared support to PM Modi and the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the state, reported the PTI.
MNS general secretary Kirtikumar Shinde, one of those who have quit, took to Facebook to explain his decision.
In a post on the social media platform on Wednesday, he said MNS chief Thackeray had taken a stand against PM Modi and BJP in 2019.
"Today, after five years, Raj saheb has changed his political role at the most crucial moment in the history of the country. Political analysts will tell how wrong he is and how right. Nowadays leaders can play the political role they want, whenever they want. But the fighters (a reference to party workers) who believe in their thoughts are crushed. What about that," he asked in the post, as per the PTI.
In his annual Gudi Padwa (the first day of Marathi New Year) rally on Tuesday, Thackeray announced his unconditional support to PM Modi and the Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the NCP under Ajit Pawar.
Formed in 2006, the MNS backed PM Modi's candidature for the PM's post in 2014. However, Raj Thackeray, a firebrand leader known for his oratory, became a bitter critic in 2019 and attacked Modi's policies. He has now backed PM Modi just before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Mihir Davte and office-bearers of MNS' student wing in Dombivali, on the outskirts of Mumbai, also quit the party citing Raj Thackeray's inconsistent positions.
Davte said they exited the party in protest after Thackeray declared his support to PM Modi.
"We found it difficult to cope with the changing stances of Raj saheb. The difference of opinion over Raj saheb's decision has also led to disagreements among the workers, so it is better to part ways," he said, the news agency reported on Friday.
(with PTI inputs)
