Padalkar quits VBA, likely to re-join BJP to fight polls

Mumbai: Weeks after the AIMIM broke up with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), the latter received yet another jolt on Thursday after senior leader, Gopichand Padalkar, resigned from the party.

Mr Padalkar is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and contest the upcoming Assembly polls.

“I have stopped working for the VBA from today. The chief minister and the BJP government have been positive on the issue of reservation to the Dhangar community. Though there are offers from many parties, I will clear my stand within couple of days after holding discussion with my supporters,” said Mr Padalkar, who is well-known Dhangar community.

Earlier too, there were reports that Mr Padalkar would quit the VBA and return to the BJP. He had quit the saffron party and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a VBA ticket from Sangli. Though he lost to BJP’s Sanjay Patil, he managed to poll over three lakh votes. Among the VBA candidates, he had secured highest number of votes during the Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Padalkar’s induction into the BJP is likely to be announced after the party’s alliance with the Shiv Sena is finalised. The BJP is likely to field the Dhangar leader from Jat or Khanapur constituency.

Meanwhile, Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) has also been jolted by the resignation of its state chief Ravikant Tupkar. He is also reportedly on his way to the BJP. Mr Tupkar sent his resignation to Mr Shetti, a former MP from Hathkanangle.

“I have been working as a SSS member for several years. But now I am resigning from the party posts,” he said in his resignation letter.

It will be the second major loss for Mr Shetti after the exit of Sadabhau Khot, who is a minister of state in the BJP-led state government.

Mr Tupkar was reportedly upset over not being left with any constituency to contest the upcoming polls.