Several MNS, Sena (UBT) leaders join BJP in Nashik; local ruling party MLA opposes move

Ahead of municipal corporation polls, several leaders from the MNS and Shiv Sena UBT joined the BJP in Maharashtras Nashik district on Thursday.Among them were former MNS MLA Nitin Bhosale, former mayor Vinayak Pande of Shiv Sena UBT, Yatin Wagh, who was the first mayor from the MNS, as well as Congress leaders Shahu Khaire and Sanjay Chavan.A surprising entrant into the BJP was Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS state general secretary Dinkar Patil, who a day earlier was celebrating the alliance between the Raj Thackeray-led party and the Shiv Sena UBT.

Ahead of municipal corporation polls, several leaders from the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) joined the BJP in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Thursday.

Among them were former MNS MLA Nitin Bhosale, former mayor Vinayak Pande of Shiv Sena (UBT), Yatin Wagh, who was the first mayor from the MNS, as well as Congress leaders Shahu Khaire and Sanjay Chavan.

A surprising entrant into the BJP was Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) state general secretary Dinkar Patil, who a day earlier was celebrating the alliance between the Raj Thackeray-led party and the Shiv Sena (UBT). He joined along with his son and former corporator wife Lata Patil in the presence of BJP minister Girish Mahajan.

People are joining because they believe in the ideology of the BJP, which will win more than 100 seats in the 122-member Nashik Municipal Corporation, Mahajan said on the occasion.

Pande said he was upset with the party for denying his son the ticket in the last corporation polls and even now. He said the party chose his daughter-in-law over his son. The BJP too will give ticket to his daughter-in-law, he added.

However, BJP's Nashik Central MLA Devyani Pharande opposed the entry of Pande, Wagh and Khaire.

Her supporters and other party loyalists crowded the party office and held demonstrations.

''I clearly oppose the entry of people in ward number 13 today. I strongly support the Hindutva party activists who fight against the established people. As an election chief, I have not been asked about this issue. Jai Shriram,'' Pharande said in her Facebook post.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) expelled these leaders after they joined the BJP.

In a post on X, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the party has expelled former Nashik mayor Vinayak Pande and Yatin Wagh for anti-party activities.

In another post on X, the MNS said it has expelled party leader Dinkar Patil for anti-party activities.

Nashik is one of the civic corporations where Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have finalised the seat sharing. Polls to 29 municipal corporations will be held on January 15, while votes will be counted the next day.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)