Sitting MP Rejoins BJP After Shiv Sena Gives Up Palghar Lok Sabha Seat

It is a 'ghar vapsi' for Shiv Sena's sitting MP from Palghar Dr Rajendra Gavit as he rejoined the BJP on Tuesday.

Dr Gavit, who was in the Congress and worked as the minister of state in Maharashtra, joined the BJP in 2018 and was elected in a bypoll to the Lok Sabha from Palghar seat. In 2019, as per the agreement, Dr Gavit joined Shiv Sena and successfully contested the Lok Sabha seat.

However, on Tuesday, Dr Gavit rejoined the BJP in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

Dr Gavit's move comes days after the BJP got Palghar seat during the seat-sharing arrangement with Shiv Sena. He was subsequently approached by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inviting him to rejoin the BJP. Dr Gavit decided to rejoin the party after Mr Fadnavis received a nod from Shiv Sena chief leader and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in this regard.

Rajendra Gavit thanked the BJP and Mr Fadnavis for inducting him into the party, saying that he will work for the MahaYuti in the state.

Mr Fadnavis said that the BJP decided to reinduct Dr Gavit considering his experience as the MP, legislator and minister and also taking into view his abilities to take party work forward in the state.

Meanwhile, Mr Fadnavis targeted the Congress and the INDIA bloc for their criticism that members from the Muslim and minorities have not got due representation in various schemes implemented by the Modi government in the last 10 years.

"In a number of schemes, including Prime Minister Awas Yojana, Ujwala scheme and Toilet Scheme, Muslim and minority community members have been the beneficiaries. There is a difference between the thinking. Congress claims the Muslims have first right in the national resources while BJP says poor have first right,'' he added. He accused the Congress party of playing divisive politics.

The Deputy Chief Minister supported the Eknath Shinde's statement that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had planned to put him in jail during its two-and-a-half-year rule. "It is true. The ‘supari' was given to many. A Police Commissioner in Mumbai was appointed to carry out this job. However, nothing happened. They could not touch me as I continued to work as the leader of the opposition,'' he noted.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)