Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Dr Archana Patil Chakurkar, the daughter-in-law of former Lok Sabha speaker and Congress stalwart Shivraj Patil, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (30 March) in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The development comes days before the country's Lok Sabha elections, which begin on April 19. She had met Fadnavis at his official residence, 'Sagar' in south Mumbai, on Friday.
After joining the party, Archana told reporters, "I have joined BJP to work in the political sphere. I was greatly influenced by the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam brought by PM Modi. It gives equal opportunity to women".
Archana Patil Chakurkar previously stated that she planned to join the BJP on Monday with former state minister Baswaraj Murumkar, a close aide to Shivraj Patil, but had to postpone the decision due to her daughter's wedding.
She is the chairperson of the Lifecare Hospital and Research Centre in Udgir, and her husband, Shailesh Patil Chandurkar, is the Congress' state secretary.
Shivraj Patil served as Union Home Minister under the Congress-led UPA government from 2004 to 2008.
On Wednesday, the party released more candidate names for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, including those for Maharashtra and Karnataka. Maharashtra's Lok Sabha elections will be held in five phases: on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. The votes will be counted on June 4.
The state, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra is known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, and it plays an important role in national politics. In the 2019 elections, the BJP won the most seats (23), followed by the Shiv Sena (18).