In a major blow to the Congress in Maharashtra, the party's former Purandar MLA, Sanjay Jagtap, is mulling a switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In the 2024 Assembly polls, Jagtap lost to Shiv Sena's Vijay Shivtare by 24,188 votes. Shivtare received 1,25,819 votes, while Jagtap managed only 1,01,631. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Sambhaji Zende contested the polls from the Purandar constituency despite Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's party being a part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Zende secured 47,196 votes — a key reason for Jagtap's loss.
According to local media reports, former Congress corporators from Saswad and Jejuri have met Jagtap and urged him to join the BJP. A large number of Congress workers are also planning to join the saffron party. However, there is no official response from Jagtap yet. All eyes are on what decision Jagtap will take in this regard.
In April, former Congress MLA from Bhor, Sangram Thopte, joined the BJP after expressing his disappointment with the grand old party. Thopte said that despite years of loyal service, he received nothing in return from the party. He pointed to internal conflicts within the Congress as a key reason behind his decision to switch sides.
Thopte had represented the Bhor constituency for three consecutive terms. The seat had long been a stronghold of the Thopte family, with his father, Anantrao Thopte — a Congress loyalist and former state minister — holding it for six terms.
Prior to this, Ravindra Dhangekar, former Congress MLA from Kasba Peth, joined Shiv Sena. “I have decided to quit the Congress as per the demand of my supporters. It was a good journey with the Congress. I have formed good relations with the Congress leaders. I have nothing against anyone in Congress,” said Dhangekar.
