Former Vice President of Latur District Central Cooperative Bank and Congress leader Nathsingh Deshmukh, along with several activists, joined the BJP on Monday in the presence of Maharashtra’s Minister for Cultural Affairs Ashish Shelar and MLA Ramesh Karad.
The move has come as a major setback for the Congress party in Latur rural ahead of the upcoming elections.
Minister Ashish Shelar visited MLA Ramesh Karad’s residence ‘Prayag’ in the MIT area, Ambajogai Road, Latur, on Monday evening. During his visit, Shelar was felicitated by Karad on behalf of the Latur Rural constituency.
On this occasion, Nathsingh Deshmukh and several local leaders formally joined the BJP.
Over the past few months, many Congress and opposition party workers from villages and rural areas of the Latur constituency have been shifting allegiance to the BJP under Karad’s leadership.
The induction of Nathsingh Deshmukh into the BJP is seen as a significant political development, likely to impact the upcoming local body elections.
Minister Shelar and MLA Karad also held a detailed discussion on the forthcoming local self-government elections, development works, and religious pilgrimage centres in the Latur Rural constituency.
"For several years, I was not active in the Congress party. Because of this, my supporters kept urging me to make a decision. I felt that the development works for my people should continue. Finally, I decided to join the BJP. The party has given a Zilla Parishad ticket to my wife from the Katgaon circle in Latur tehsil,” Nathsingh Deshmukh told reporters.
