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Fadnavis by side, two heavyweights from Congress and NCP join BJP

Naik, a heavyweight in Navi Mumbai politics, joined the BJP along with his supporters and family members.

Harshvardhan Patil quits Congress, Harshvardhan Patil joins BJP, Ganesh Naik, Maharashtra Assembly polls, Maharashtra news, Congress-NCP Harshavardhan Patil and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Express phopto by Pradip Das)
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NCP leader Ganesh Naik and Congress leader Harshvardhan Patil on Wednesday joined the BJP in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Naik, a heavyweight in Navi Mumbai politics, joined the BJP along with his supporters and family members.

“I have always worked for the people and not for my personal gains. I realised that many of my projects would become a reality only if there was a better leadership. I believe the Chief Minister and I can make Navi Mumbai shine even better than it does,” Naik said.

Minutes after Patil joined the party, Fadnavis said the BJP had been trying to rope him in for the last five years. “We will field him from Indapur seat,” the Chief Minister said at the function in Mumbai.

On Wednesday, Patil said that he took the decision to join the BJP as even Congress president Sonia Gandhi failed to find a solution to his issues. “After my rally in Indapur, Sonia Gandhi had called me up. She said she knew my problem… She said ‘let me try’… But nothing happened,” he added.

Patil said he had met NCP chief Sharad Pawar immediately after the Lok Sabha elections. “He said he will do something… Then I met Congress leaders Venugopal, Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil, but they all sounded helpless.”

After the meeting in Indapur, Patil became incommunicado to Congress and NCP leaders. “He was directly in touch with the chief minister, whom he invited for launching his book. He had made up his mind to join the BJP,” said an aide.

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NCP leader Ajit Pawar said all attempts to reach out to Patil had failed. “I had told Patil I will honour whatever decision senior leaders of both parties take. After Patil held a rally earlier this month, I called him up several times, but his phone was switched off. Even Prithviraj Chavan urged him not to quit and told him that some solution could be worked out. But it seems Patil had already made up his mind to quit… he is unnecessarily blaming NCP,” he said.

“I had personally gone to Patil’s residence in Pune, but he was not available. I must have made 50 calls to him… There are political differences but Patil should not spread falsehoods,” added Pawar.

Sule said they had received no proposal about the Indapur seat from the Congress. “I don’t understand why he quit Congress. He had problems with the NCP, but why is he quitting Congress? This is like having a fight with the brother-in-law but parting ways with the husband…,” she said.

Patil is a four-time MLA from Indapur. He was elected thrice as an Independent MLA and once on a Congress ticket. In the 2014 Assembly elections, when the Congress and NCP fought separately, NCP candidate Dattatray Bharne had defeated him.

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Meanwhile, former Mumbai party chief Kripashankar Singh, who quit the Congress on Tuesday, is yet to officially join the BJP. —WITH ENS MUMBAI

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Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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