Ravi Raja Resigns from Congress to Join BJP
In a major political shift ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Ravi Raja, a long-time Congress leader, has resigned from the party. He announced his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. Ravi Raja has been a prominent figure, serving as the leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and has been with Congress for over 44 years.
In his resignation letter, shared on social media, Ravi Raja expressed his disappointment, stating, “Since 1980 as a Youth Congress Member, I have served the party with utmost sincerity and dedication and today I am made to believe that my 44 years of service for the Congress party is not respected and hence I take this decision of resigning from my party post.”
Maharashtra Assembly Elections
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting on November 23. The main contest is between two alliances: the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the ruling Mahayuti. The MVA includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), while the Mahayuti comprises Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Both alliances are experiencing internal challenges, with protests over candidate nominations. The BJP has opposed Nawab Malik’s candidacy from the NCP (Ajit Pawar) for the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, BJP’s Maharashtra state president, stated, “Nawab Malik should accept our wishes on his candidature from NCP. We are firm on our view about Nawab Malik which Devendra ji had said initially.”
The MVA is also facing protests from members unhappy with seat-sharing arrangements. Ramesh Chennithala, Maharashtra Congress in-charge, urged Congress leaders who filed nominations independently to withdraw them, emphasizing that only officially announced candidates should contest.
Doubts Revealed
Ravi Raja -: Ravi Raja is a politician who was a member of the Congress party for 44 years. He recently decided to leave Congress and join the BJP.
Congress -: Congress is one of the major political parties in India. It has been around for a long time and has played a big role in India’s history.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is another major political party in India and is currently in power at the national level.
Maharashtra Elections -: These are elections held in the state of Maharashtra to choose leaders who will make important decisions for the state. They are like choosing class monitors in school.
Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -: Maha Vikas Aghadi is an alliance of political parties in Maharashtra. They work together to contest elections and govern the state.
Mahayuti -: Mahayuti is another alliance of political parties in Maharashtra, led by the BJP. They are the current ruling group in the state.
Nawab Malik -: Nawab Malik is a politician in Maharashtra. There is some disagreement about whether he should be a candidate in the elections.
Seat-sharing -: Seat-sharing is when political parties in an alliance decide how many seats each party will contest in an election. It’s like sharing pieces of a cake among friends.