Sujay Vikhe Patil, the son of Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, on Friday met Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan, sparking rumours of his entry into the ruling party, sources said.
Sujay is a practising neurosurgeon in Ahmednagar district and has openly declared his political ambitions of contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat is in the NCP quota, but the Congress wants to field its candidate from the constituency in western Maharashtra.
In the past, Sujay Vikhe Patil has said he need not be in the Congress just because of his family connection. Sources in Radhakrishna's office said Sujay had sought time from Mahajan to discuss technical issues in the post-graduate medical courses' entrance exams and the latter had given him an appointment.
"Sujay met the minister at his official bungalow here after the cabinet meeting. If he plans to join the BJP, will he meet the minister at his official bungalow? NCP hasn't refused yet to give the seat to the Congress," the sources said.
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Interestingly, Mahajan is the BJP's pointman in north Maharashtra and played a pivotal role in the party's victories in Jalgaon, Dhule and Ahmednagar civic elections.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande took a swipe at Radhakrishna, saying he is sending his son to the BJP to avoid an ED probe. "In the last few years, everyone has seen how (Radhakrishna) Vikhe Patil has been ineffective as the leader of opposition," she added.
