Blow to NDA in Maharashtra: BJP's Jalgaon MP Unmesh Patil joins Uddhav Thackeray's Sena

BJP MP from Jalgaon Unmesh Patil, who was denied a ticket this time, joined the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday. Patil joined the Sena (UBT) at 'Matoshree', the residence of former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Mumbai. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Patil joining the party will bolster its prospects in Jalgaon and north Maharashtra and make its path to victory easier.
 
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has replaced Patil with Smita Wagh in Jalgaon. Wagh, a former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), previously served as the Maharashtra BJP’s women's wing chief.

Uddhav's Sena is part of opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which also comprise Sharad Pawar's NCP and Congress.  

Under the MVA's seat-sharing pact, the Jalgaon seat has been allocated to Shiv Sena (UBT).

Jalgaon, historically a BJP stronghold, may see tough competition if Uddhav Thackeray decides to field Patil, who garnered an impressive tally of over 7 lakh votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Patil had defeated NCP's Gulabrao Deokar by over 4 lakh votes. The BJP has held this seat since 1999. 

Meanwhile, the BJP will contest the Lok Sabha polls, to be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20, as a party of Mahayuti (grand alliance) with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party faction headed by Ajit Pawar. 

The BJP is fighting the Lok Sabha polls, to be held in five phases in Maharashtra from April 19 to May 20, as part of the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. 

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats. In the last election, the BJP and undivided Sena had bagged 41 of 48 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP had won 25, while Sena secured 18.