Congress, NCP lose 4 MLAs, ex-Minister, woman leader to BJP

Mumbai, July 31 (IANS) On anticipated lines, the beleaguered Maharashtra Opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party lost four sitting legislators, one former Minister, a state-level woman leader and other activists as they crossed over to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here on Wednesday, party sources said.Seven-time Congress legislator Kalidas Kolambkar (Wadala in south Mumbai), NCP's Sandeep Naik (Airoli), Vaibhav Pichad (Akole) and Shivendra Raje Bhosale (Satara) on Tuesday quit their parties and legislative seats. Besides, state NCP's women's wing President Chitra Wagh also joined the BJP to a huge round of applause.All the newcomers were welcomed to the party fold by state BJP President Chandrakant Patil and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai BJP chief M.P. Lodha, cabinet ministers and senior party leaders at a function here on Wednesday morning.Patil assured that all the new entrants would be given suitable roles befitting their stature in the party as he hinted at more walkovers from the Opposition to the BJP before the Assembly elections to be held in October.The crossover of these opposition leaders took place a day before Fadnavis embarks on his state-wide 'Mahajanadesh Yatra' to kickstart the poll campaign.
--IANS qn/pg