Another Maharashtra Congress leader quits party, likely to join BJP

Kolambkar announced that he quit the party and chances are that may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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• MLA Kalidas Kolambkar has quit the Congress party
• Chances are that he may join the Bharatiya Janata Party
• Kolambkar, a seven-time MLA from Naigaon constituency was earlier with Shiv Sena, and then switched over to Congress

Senior Congress leader and MLA Kalidas Kolambkar has quit the party, in yet another setback to Congress in Maharashtra before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Kolambkar announced that he quit the party and chances are that he may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has also put up pictures of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis outside his office.

Speaking exclusively to India Today TV, Kolmabkar said, "I'm quitting the party because my work was not done. How will I face my voters and what will I tell them? I am out of Congress now and will not campaign for Congress candidate. It's a matter of time and I will let you know when I join."

Kolambkar, a seven-time MLA from Naigaon constituency in south-central Mumbai was with Shiv Sena and then switched over to Congress with Narayan Rane. This move comes after Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, joined the BJP.

He said that CM Fadnavis promised him of working on his proposal for Police housing scheme, which is pending.

Defending his decision to put up Fadnavis' pictures in his office, he said,"I have not committed a crime by putting up Devendra Fadnavis' photo. I have been following up with Police Housing Scheme proposal for last 10 years. No one paid heed to my issues. When I went to CM he not only responded positively, but also gave an additional floor space index (FSI). Why should I then put photos of people who do not work?"

Meanwhile, Congress reacted sharply to Kolambkar's decision calling it backstabbing. Congress Spokesperson Raju Waghmare told India Today, "Backstabbing is Kolambkar's nature. He backstabbed Shivsena to join Congress with Narayan Rane. Now he has backstabbed Rane for BJP. Tomorrow he will backstab the BJP as well."