Mumbai: In a big setback for the Maharashtra Congress, senior leader and two-time MLA Kunal Patil is set to formally join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today, marking a dramatic shift in the state’s political equations. Patil, who represents the Dhule Rural constituency and also serves as the Working President of the Maharashtra Congress, will be inducted into the BJP at 2 PM in the presence of senior party leaders.
Patil’s decision is particularly significant for North Maharashtra, where he commands considerable clout. Coming from a family with a 75-year association with the Congress, Patil’s move signals a generational rupture. His grandfather was a Member of Parliament, and his father represented the Dhule Rural constituency seven times as an MLA. The Patil family’s proximity to the Gandhi family was also well known, with Rahul Gandhi even visiting their home during last year’s election campaign.
