Maharashtra: Former BRS Chief Manikrao Kadam Quits Party; Joins Ajit Pawar-Led NCP

Manikrao 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.

Mumbai (Maharashtra): The leader of Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao's (KCR) Bharat Rashtra Samithi's Maharashtra agriculture cell, Manikrao Kadam, joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday, March 19, claiming that the party had stopped taking cognisance about state issues following its disastrous results in Telangana poll.

Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare, the head of the party's state unit, were present when Kadam, who has been appointed as the head of the NCP's Kisan Cell in Maharashtra, joined the organisation.

When Tatkare offered Kadam the letter of appointment, he said that he would help the NCP expand throughout the state.

Talking to ETV Bharat, Kadam revealed what caused the decline of the BRS party in Maharashtra and alleged that party supremo KCR refused to meet office bearers from Maharashtra after coming to power.

Kadam also said that Ajit Pawar’s working style had influenced him in making this choice. “Ajit dada is a man of words and he ensures projects are completed,” he said. He also added that in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Kadam's move marks a significant paradigm shift in the political scenario of Maharashtra. The ruling Mahayuti alliance is in talks to include the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in its fold.

Earlier, the Shiv Sena (UBT) had chosen to back Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti's candidacy in the Kolhapur Hatkanangale constituency.