Mumbai Congress Veteran Ravi Raja Joins BJP Weeks Before Elections

Mumbai: In a major political move ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Ravi Raja, a longtime Congress leader and five-time city corporator, joined the BJP. His switch ended a 44-year association with Congress just weeks before the November 20 polls.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar welcomed Raja into the party. Fadnavis hinted that other Congress leaders might follow, saying, "People believe the Mahayuti government will return." Shelar added that Raja’s experience would strengthen BJP’s position.

Reports of issues within the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, have raised concerns, but Fadnavis assured that seat-sharing problems have been resolved.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Gopal Shetty has filed an independent nomination for Borivali after the party chose Sanjay Upadhyay for that seat, and efforts are on to bring Shetty back into the fold.

The single-phase Maharashtra polls are set for November 20, with results expected on November 23.