NCP leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar to join Shiv Sena today

With most exit polls predicting a landslide victory for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections, NCP leader and former cabinet minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar will join Uddhav Thackeray's party on Wednesday.

There were whispers in political circles that Kshirsagar may soon join Shiv Sena after he expressed discontent with the NCP leadership for ignoring him and giving importance to his local rival Dhananjay Munday in Beed. Later, he decided to extend his support to BJP-Shiv Sena's Beed candidate Dr Pritam Munde and urged people to cast vote in his favour.

In April, a miffed Kshirgar held a secret meeting with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree. However, he denied any talks regarding him joining the party and claimed that it was a "courtesy visit" to wish Thackeray a happy new year.

Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, President of Beed Zila Parishad Bharatbhushan Kshirsagar, party secretary Milind Narvekar were also present in the meeting.

Earlier in March, Congress leader Vikhe Patil's son Sujay joined the BJP in presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and he was later given a ticket to contest from the Ahmednagar South Lok Sabha seat.

Maharashtra has 48 parliamentary constituencies. Polling for the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections concluded on May 19. The much-awaited results of the general elections will be announced on May 23.

-ANI