Maharashtra: Another NCP legislator quits, joins Shiv Sena

A day after Barora resigned as a member of the Legislative Assembly, he was formally inducted into the Sena by party president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) continues to be rattled by defections as sitting legislator Pandurang Barora on Wednesday joined the Shiv Sena.

In May, party leader and former cabinet minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar had joined the Sena.

A day after Barora resigned as a member of the Legislative Assembly, he was formally inducted into the Sena by party president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday. Some NCP workers from Shahapur Assembly constituency, which Barora represented, also joined the saffron party.

Barora, considered a confidante of former deputy chief minister and NCP’s legislative party leader Ajit Pawar, reportedly had a long-running feud with Palghar’s NCP district president Dashrath Tiware.

With Barora expected to vie for a second consecutive term from his Assembly segment as a Sena candidate, a section of local party leaders had opposed the idea of his induction. However, Barora had the backing of Sena Minister Eknath Shinde, who was also present during his induction.

Ever since the BJP rode to power in the state in 2014, the NCP has been most hit by defections. After the 2019 Lok Sabha defeat, a fear of multiple defections has once again gripped the party. Kshirsagar, now a minister in the Fadnavis Cabinet, was the first among sitting legislators to jump the ship.

After Barora joined the Sena, speculation is rife that two other senior legislators are in talks with the ruling side.

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