Congress leader, ex-LoP of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Ravi Raja, resigns
In a major political development, senior Congress leader Ravi Raja has decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. He has submitted his resignation to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. He will join the BJP on Thursday in the presence of Maharahstra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Raja, a five-time corporator, had wanted to contest the upcoming elections on a Congress ticket from Sion-Koliwada.
Raja's ticket request overlooked by Congress high command
Despite getting support from a number of senior state Congress leaders, his plea was overlooked by the party's high command. The Congress, instead, fielded Ganesh Yadav from this constituency, a decision that reportedly drove Raja away. Raja enjoys immense popularity in Sion-Koliwada, particularly among Tamil and Marathi voters. The Sion Koliwada Assembly constituency is one of the 10 constituencies of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha located in Mumbai City district.
Election dates
Two states will go to the polls in November—Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20, with results declared on November 23. Jharkhand's Assembly elections will take place in two phases—November 13 and November 20—with the results also announced on November 23. The 288-member Maharashtra Assembly's term ends on November 26, while the 81-seat Jharkhand Assembly will complete its term on January 5, 2025.
