Former Maharashtra BRS chief Manikrao Kadam joins NCP

Mumbai: The former chief of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti’s Maharashtra unit, Manikrao Kadam, left the party on Tuesday and joined the NCP led by Ajit Pawar.

Kadam, who has been appointed as the chief of NCP’s Kisan Cell in Maharashtra, joined the party in the presence of Ajit Pawar and the party's state unit chief Sunil Tatkare.

Tatkare, who handed over the letter of appointment to Kadam, hoped that he would cooperate in the growth of the NCP in the state.

Kadam said he was instrumental in the appointment of BRS' officer-bearers in all the 288 Assembly constituencies in Maharashtra, adding that he also made efforts to rope in leaders and former legislators from various parties into the BRS fold.

On his move to quit the BRS, Kadam said he was compelled to make a decision as there was no communication from the party or its senior leaders after its defeat in the Telangana Assembly elections.