<p>Much on expected lines, veteran politician Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Tuesday resigned as Congress MLA - and is all set to join BJP. <br />Some more Congress legislators are expected to follow suit.<br /><br />Vikhe-Patil is regularly in touch with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and water resources minister Girish Mahajan.<br /><br />Vikhe-Patil, a five-time MLA from Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, met Maharashtra Legislative Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagade and formally tendered his resignation. <br />His resignation had been accepted. <br /><br />A couple of months ago, his son Dr Sujay Vikhe-Patil had left Congress to join BJP and contest the Lok Sabha seat of Ahmednagar, which he won. <br /><br />Because of this, Vikhe-Patil Sr did not campaign in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha elections and resigned as leader of the opposition. <br /><br />Before that, he had sent an explanation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and spoke to AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge. <br /><br />Vikhe-Patil said that the situation had compelled him to resign. "The Congress high-command gave me the opportunity and made me the leader of the opposition," he said. <br /><br />In fact, as per the customary seat-sharing formula, the NCP had been contesting the Ahmednagar seat but since his son wanted, he had approached NCP supremo Sharad Pawar but the latter had declined. As a matter of fact, Vikhe-Patil's father and eight-time MP late Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil was an arch political rival of Pawar. <br /><br />"Things moved in such way that I had no option," he said, adding that he had nothing against party's central leadership.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Abdul Sattar, who was expelled from Congress for filing nominations from Aurangabad - that he later withdrew - said that eight to 10 Congress MLAs are in touch with BJP. "The state leadership has failed," said Sattar.<br /><br />Vikhe-Patil is expected to be included in the government as a minister in the impending expansion of council-of-ministers.<br /><br />However, state Congress president Ashok Chavan told a news channel that he had spoken to some Congress MLAs who are unhappy. "They are not quitting," he said. <br /><br />The monsoon session of Maharashtra legislature is commencing on 17 June and before that, a new leader has to be appointed by Congress, NCP and allies for better floor coordination.</p>
<p>Much on expected lines, veteran politician Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Tuesday resigned as Congress MLA - and is all set to join BJP. <br />Some more Congress legislators are expected to follow suit.<br /><br />Vikhe-Patil is regularly in touch with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and water resources minister Girish Mahajan.<br /><br />Vikhe-Patil, a five-time MLA from Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, met Maharashtra Legislative Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagade and formally tendered his resignation. <br />His resignation had been accepted. <br /><br />A couple of months ago, his son Dr Sujay Vikhe-Patil had left Congress to join BJP and contest the Lok Sabha seat of Ahmednagar, which he won. <br /><br />Because of this, Vikhe-Patil Sr did not campaign in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha elections and resigned as leader of the opposition. <br /><br />Before that, he had sent an explanation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and spoke to AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge. <br /><br />Vikhe-Patil said that the situation had compelled him to resign. "The Congress high-command gave me the opportunity and made me the leader of the opposition," he said. <br /><br />In fact, as per the customary seat-sharing formula, the NCP had been contesting the Ahmednagar seat but since his son wanted, he had approached NCP supremo Sharad Pawar but the latter had declined. As a matter of fact, Vikhe-Patil's father and eight-time MP late Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil was an arch political rival of Pawar. <br /><br />"Things moved in such way that I had no option," he said, adding that he had nothing against party's central leadership.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Abdul Sattar, who was expelled from Congress for filing nominations from Aurangabad - that he later withdrew - said that eight to 10 Congress MLAs are in touch with BJP. "The state leadership has failed," said Sattar.<br /><br />Vikhe-Patil is expected to be included in the government as a minister in the impending expansion of council-of-ministers.<br /><br />However, state Congress president Ashok Chavan told a news channel that he had spoken to some Congress MLAs who are unhappy. "They are not quitting," he said. <br /><br />The monsoon session of Maharashtra legislature is commencing on 17 June and before that, a new leader has to be appointed by Congress, NCP and allies for better floor coordination.</p>