In a significant political development, Congress leader and former MLA Sangram Thopte is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Thopte, who represented the Bhore constituency in Pune for three terms, will officially make the switch tomorrow in a ceremony attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Thopte, a prominent political figure in western Maharashtra, faced a defeat in the 2024 assembly elections, where he lost to NCP candidate Shankar Mandekar. His loss served as a turning point in his political career, prompting him to sever ties with Congress and join the BJP.
The son of Congress veteran Anantrao Thopte, who served as the representative of Bhor for six terms, Sangram Thopte comes from a family with a deep-rooted association with Congress. However, after resigning from the party on Friday, Thopte removed the Congress logo from his social media profiles, signalling his decision to align with the BJP.
Speaking to the press in Pune, Thopte cited neglect by the Congress leadership as the key reason for his departure. “I was neglected by the party during the last few years. In 2019, when the MVA (Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi) government came to power, I was hoping to get a ministerial position but was ignored. I was again hopeful for the assembly speaker’s position when Nana Patole resigned and later for the opposition leader’s position after the fall of the MVA government. But I got nothing,” he lamented.
Thopte's decision is expected to be a significant blow to the Congress, particularly in western Maharashtra, a region that has traditionally been a Congress stronghold. His shift to the BJP, amid Congress' poor performance in recent elections, is seen as a major setback for the party in the region.
Thopte's move will have far-reaching consequences, bolstering the BJP's position in western Maharashtra ahead of future elections. The entry of such a senior leader into the BJP is likely to reshape the political dynamics of the state, particularly in the upcoming electoral battles.