Former Maharashtra Congress MLA Basavaraj Patil likely to join BJP
What's the story
Former Maharashtra minister and state working president of the Congress, Basavaraj Patil Murumkar, has resigned from the party, reports said.
According to the India Today, Patil will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party state president Chandrashekhar Bavankule and Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadanvis on Tuesday.
Congress state chief Nana Patole, however, denied the reports of Patil's resignation and said he has not received a letter from him.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Several political heavyweights have left the Congress in Maharashtra recently.
Just days ago, Ashok Chavan, a former chief minister of the state, exited the Congress and joined the BJP. Before this, Milind Deora and Baba Siddique had also left the party.
Patil is a prominent Lingayat leader from Marathwada region.
Notably, Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha, the second most after Uttar Pradesh.
Congress reaction
Patil yet to release official statement confirming his exit
Patil is yet to release an official statement confirming his departure from the Congress.
"We have not received any resignation letter from Basavraj Patil. He is not active in the party," Patole said.
There were, however, reports that Patil met Fadnavis at his residence on Tuesday morning.
According to the PTI, Congress leader Abhay Salunke said that Patil's exit will not impact the Congress since he has "lost touch with the public after his loss in the 2019 state elections."
History
Patil entered politics in 1999
Patil entered politics by winning the 1999 assembly elections from Umarga assembly seat.
He was appointed to the Maharashtra cabinet, where he served as the rural development minister from 1999 to 2004.
He, however, lost the 2004 assembly elections.
After Umarga was declared a reserved seat, he was nominated from the Ausa constituency in 2009.
He lost his seat to the BJP's Abhimanyu Pawar in the 2019 elections.
In Jharkhand
Lone Congress MP joins BJP
The lone Congress MP from Jharkhand, Geeta Koda, on Monday joined the BJP.
She was reportedly unhappy with the alliances formed by the Congress in the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Singhbhum MP is the wife of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.
She joined the BJP in the presence of state party chief Babulal Marandi in Ranchi.