Pandharpur (Maharashtra): On a two-day visit to Maharashtra, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday morning offered prayers at the well-known Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple at Pandharpur in Solapur district.
The Telangana CM, who reached Maharashtra on Monday, had stayed in Solapur. He was welcomed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) workers, who waived party flags. On Tuesday morning, the Telangana CM, who is the BRS supremo, along with his convoy proceeded to Pandharpur, a holy town, where lakhs of pilgrims come to worship Lord Vittal, on Ashadhi Ekadashi.
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On Tuesday, a well-known Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Bhagirath Bhalke will join BRS, in the presence of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, at a program in Sarkoli village of Pandharpur tehsil. Bhalke, son of Bharat Bhalke, was reportedly upset with the NCP and hence is joining the BRS. During his visit, KCR met former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Dharmanna Sadul and former BJP corporator Nagesh Valyal.
The visit by KCR is seen as an effort to spread his party in western Maharashtra, which is considered as a bastion of the NCP, headed by Sharad Pawar. KCR will also be offering prayers at the Goddess Tuljabhavani temple at Tuljapur in the Dharashiv district of Maharashtra. Political parties in Maharashtra have downplayed the visit by KCR saying it will not make any difference to them.
Meanwhile, a farmer's leader from the region Santosh Pawar has said that he would work for BRS in Maharashtra as the party has taken several decisions benefiting the farmers in Telangana.
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