Moreover, three outgoing corporators Leena Shukla (Shiv Sena, Chandivali), Parvminder Bhamra (Congress, Malad) and Bhalchandra Ambure (MNS, Andheri east) also switched loyalty to join the BJP.
Ahead of the civic elections in Mumbai, BJP on Monday inducted several leaders from Congress, MNS and Shiv Sena into its party fold. Former Congress MLA (Vile Parle) and Priya Dutt's close associate Krishna Hegde, former MNS MLA (Vikhroli) Mangesh Sangle, and Shiv Sena leader Ramesh Naik quit their respective parties and joined the saffron party.
Moreover, three outgoing corporators Leena Shukla (Shiv Sena, Chandivali), Parvminder Bhamra (Congress, Malad) and Bhalchandra Ambure (MNS, Andheri east) also switched loyalty to join the BJP.
Krishna Hegde blamed Congress city president Sanjay Nirupam for his exit and accused him of giving tickets to "corrupts and criminals", leaving loyalists aside. He expressed his faith in Chief Minister Devendra Fadnvais and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and promised to work for the party without "expecting anything".
Turncoats from the MNS and Shiv Sena were not as vocal as Hegde, but blamed their previous party for ignoring them during the preparation of candidate list for Mumbai corporation elections among other issues.
BJP leaders were ecstatic about the "success". A press conference was hurriedly convened by city BJP chief Ashish Shelar, who sought to prove how BJP was emerging as the first choice for "senior leaders" across parties because of its agenda of "transparency" in governance.
As alliance talks with Shiv Sena is being prolonged, BJP has only gained further with these inductions. BJP leaders said the incoming leaders will help the party strengthen its base in Mumbai, where Sena has the upper hand, and allegedly indulges in arm-twisting during negotiations.
Monday's induction is just the beginning. "We will soon share more good news," says Atul Shah, senior BJP leader. These developments would prompt more disgruntled people from rival parties to join the BJP which rules at the state and Centre. At present, BJP and Sena have 31 and 75 seats respectively out of 227 seats in BMC. "We want to triple the figure this time. Its not very difficult considering our performance in municipal council polls and an expansive organisational base after 2014," said a BJP leader.
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