Veteran Congress Leader Ravi Raja Joins BJP Ahead Of Maharashtra Polls.
Mumbai Congress veteran and five-time city corporator Ravi Raja has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just weeks before the Assembly elections scheduled for November 20 in Maharashtra. His departure from the Congress marks the end of a 44-year affiliation with the party.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar extended a warm welcome to Mr. Raja as he joined their ranks.
While refraining from naming specific individuals, Mr. Fadnavis indicated that several prominent Congress leaders are likely to follow Mr. Raja’s lead into the BJP. “There is a strong belief that the Mahayuti government will return to power,” he stated. Mr. Raja possesses extensive knowledge about Mumbai’s issues and is a long-time ally of ours. His and his supporters’ decision to join the BJP is expected to enhance the party’s prospects in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections,” Mr. Shelar remarked.
In response to concerns regarding seat-sharing among the Mahayuti constituents—comprising the BJP, the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar—Mr. Fadnavis assured that all matters have been resolved and that candidate names will be announced shortly.
Additionally, Mr. Fadnavis mentioned ongoing efforts to address the concerns of senior party leader Gopal Shetty, who has filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the Borivali constituency after the BJP selected Sanjay Upadhyay to contest from that area in north Mumbai. The state of Maharashtra is set to hold single-phase elections on November 20, with results to be announced on November 23.
Former opposition leader in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and seasoned Congress member Ravi Raja officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, in anticipation of the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Senior BJP figure and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with the party’s Mumbai president Ashish Shelar, greeted Raja as he transitioned to the saffron party.
