Congress veteran Ravi Raja crosses over to BJP before Maharashtra polls
In a shock to Congress, five-time corporator from Mumbai joined BJP, who welcomed him calling him an an encyclopaedia”; more Congress leaders will join BJP, said Fadnavis
Ravi Raja, a veteran five-time Mumbai corporator, has ended his 44-year-old association with the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of Assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Calling him "an encyclopaedia” on Mumbai, city BJP chief Ashish Shelar welcomed Raja into the party in the presence of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Fadnavis said many other Congress leaders too would join the BJP. "People are confident that the Mahayuti government will make a comeback," he said, referring to the coalition which rules Maharashtra.
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BJP praises Raja
"Raja is like an encyclopaedia for issues in Mumbai. He is an old friend of ours. Raja and his supporters' decision to join the BJP will strengthen the party's prospects," Shelar said.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis said Congress leader Ravi Raja is "one of the strongest leaders and we believe that his joining in BJP will strengthen us".
"In Maharashtra, there is a positive environment in favour of Mahayuti. Yesterday we had a meeting where, CM Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were present. We discussed cross-form issues... Our stand is very clear on Nawab Mallik, our president Ashish Shelar earlier cleared everything.. we are not going to give any favour to Nawab Malik..."
And, Fadnavis also asserted that the BJP and its allies, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party, would sort out the seat-sharing bottlenecks.
He added that all efforts were on to placate party leader Gopal Shetty, who filed his nomination as an independent from Borivali after the BJP fielded Sanjay Upadhyay to contest from the Mumbai seat.
Also read: BJP still firm on backing Raj Thackeray's son in Mahim seat: Fadnavis
Ravi Raja on discrimination in Congress
Meanwhile, on joining BJP, Ravi Raja told ANI that Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar has appointed him as Mumbai BJP vice-president. He will campaign for the Mahayuti candidate from Mumbai and ensure that the candidate wins.
"Discrimination is being done by the Congress party...Tickets are not being given based on merit," he added.
Maharashtra will elect a new Assembly on November 20. The votes will be counted on November 23.