Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's son meets Girish Mahajan

Sujay Vikhe Patil, the son of Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Friday met Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan, sparking rumours of his entry into the ruling party, sources said. SujayVikhe Patil is a practising neurosurgeon in Ahmednagar district and has openly declared his political ambitions of contesting the LokSabha elections.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is also the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat is in the NCP quota, but the Congress wants to field its candidate from the constituency in western Maharashtra.

In the past, SujayVikhe Patil has said he need not be in Congress just because of his family connection. Sources in Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's office said Sujay Vikhe Patil had sought time from Mahajan to discuss technical issues in the post-graduate medical courses entrance exams and the latter had given him the appointment.

"Sujay met the minister at his official bungalow here after the cabinet meeting. If he plans to join the BJP, will he meet the minister at his official bungalow? "NCP hasn't refused yet to give the seat to the Congress," the sources said. Interestingly, Mahajan is the BJP's pointsman in north Maharashtra and played a pivotal role in the party's victories in Jalgaon, Dhule and Ahmednagar civic elections.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande took a swipe at Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, saying he is sending his son in the BJP to avoidan ED probe. "In the last few years, everyone has seen how Vikhe Patil has been ineffective as the Leader of Opposition," she added.

(With inputs from agencies.)