In Setback For Sharad Pawar's Party, Lawmaker Says He Will Join BJP

MUMBAI: In yet another setback for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra, its legislator Vaibhav Pichad announced on Saturday that he was going to join the ruling BJP.

"Very soon, I will formally join the Bharatiya Janata Party," he told news agency PTI.

Vaibhav Pichad is son of senior NCP leader and former state minister Madhukar Pichad.

Two days ago, the NCP's Mumbai unit chief Sachin Ahir joined the Shiv Sena, a ruling alliance partner.

Vaibhav Pichad told PTI that he had organised a meeting of his followers in Ahmednagar to gauge their opinion. Most of his supporters wanted him to join the BJP, he said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured him that he would get all help in tackling the problems of his constituency.

A day after Sachin Ahir announced in Mumbai that he was joining the Shiv Sena, NCP's state women wing chief Chitra Wagh announced that she was quitting the Sharad Pawar-led party. There was speculation that she may join the BJP.