In a major setback for the Congress in north Maharashtra, former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kunal Patil on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Patil, who hails from Dhule, is a third-generation politician of Congress loyalists and was also considered close to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

He is also the son of the late Rohidas Patil, who served as the Maharashtra minister. Patil asserted that his switch to the BJP was made with the backing of his supporters.