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

Nashik: 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.

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