Massive jolt to Congress in Maharashtra: Party strongman Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil quits, likely to join BJP soon

Vikhe Patil, who had resigned as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in the run up to Lok Sabha elections, remained tight-lipped about his next political course.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil quits Congress party.

Mumbai: In yet another setback to the grand old party, Maharashtra Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil today resigned as the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). He submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade at his office here, an official said. Political grapevine is that state Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, whose son Sujay successfully contested the Lok Sabha poll on BJP's ticket, is set to join the saffron party in a couple of days. There are speculations that more Congress MLAs are likely to follow suit and quit the Maharashtra unit. Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Sujay had admitted publicly that his father Radhakrishna is not even on speaking terms with him currently after he joined the BJP. This created a furore in Congress circles with demands for his (father's) resignation from some quarters. Ahmednagar is th stronghold of the Vikhe-Patil clan where the Congress has held sway virtually uninterrupted since 1952. Sujay's grouse was that the NCP did not give up the Ahmednagar seat which has been the bastion of one of the oldest political clans in the state. The BJP promptly rewarded Sujay Vikhe-Patil with a ticket and he won against NCP's Sangram Jagtap by a margin of 281474 votes.

Another big jolt for Congress in Maharashtra!Radhakrishn Vikhe Patil,a Congress stalwart submits his resignation as MLA to Vidhansabha Speaker.His son Sujay won Ahmednagar Loksabha seat from BJP ticket.He may join BJP soon.He was Leader of Opposition earlier. @abpnewstv pic.twitter.com/iuHFK4EcAe

— Jitendra.K.Dixit (@jitendradixit) June 4, 2019

Vikhe Patil, who had resigned as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in the run up to Lok Sabha elections, remained tight-lipped about his next political course. Vikhe Patil met Water resources Minister Girish Mahajan at the latter's official bungalow on May 28. He said he had come to thank Mahajan for the latter's support in ensuring his son Sujay's victory from Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency. "I openly campaigned for my son who contested as a BJP candidate. So, action was taken against me. Denial of a ticket to my son was injustice. This shows the policy of the Congress," he charged. In Maharashtra, the NDA has won 43 seats. (With inputs from Agencies)