BJP President Rajnath Singh with former Congress MP Jagdambika Pal (Right)
BJP president Rajnath Singh on Wednesday took time off from a meeting of the party's central election committee to officially induct former Congress MP Jagdambika Pal into the fold. Hours later, Mr Pal's name was announced as the party's candidate from Dumariyaganj, from where he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009 on a Congress ticket.
BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy formally handed over the receipt of primary membership to Dr Heena Gavit from Nandurbar. Dr Gavit, daughter of Maharashtra's cabinet minister Vijaykumar Gavit from the NCP, is now the BJP's candidate from the tribal constituency of Nandurbar - traditionally a Congress bastion.
Maharashtra's deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar had said in no uncertain terms that were Dr Gavit to join the BJP, her father would pay the price for it. Vijaykumar Gavit was dropped from the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday evening.
"I respect leaders of the NCP. But it was my independent decision to join the BJP because of all the development I've seen that has been achieved in neighbouring Gujarat. My father is where he is today because of the support of the people. I can't say he's happy with my decision but he's not stopped me from going ahead with it," Ms Gavit told NDTV.
Another import from Maharashtra's NCP is Kapil Patil who is the BJP's face now in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra, where he will face Samajwadi Party's Abu Azmi.