Congress leader Kunal Patil joins BJP

In a blow to the Congress in north Maharashtra, former MLA Kunal Patil, a third-generation leader who hails from a family of staunch Congress loyalists and son of ex-minister the late Rohidas Patil, on Tuesday joined BJP.

Patil, who hails from Dhule, asserted that his decision was voluntary and backed by the people.

“There is no pressure on me to join BJP. I come from a tradition of public service. My supporters and voters have supported my decision. I am joining BJP to serve the people more effectively,” he told reporters after senior BJP leaders Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ravindra Chavan, and Girish Mahajan welcomed him into the party fold.

Patil lost the assembly election in November 2024 on a Congress ticket. He had previously served two terms as an MLA. His defection is seen as a significant loss for the Congress, given his family’s deep-rooted association with the party for over three generations.

He is the son of the late Rohidas Patil, a Congress stalwart and former state minister who held key portfolios, across successive Congress governments.

In a sign of the family’s importance within the party, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had visited Rohidas Patil at his residence when he was unwell in March last year and even arranged a phone conversation between him and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Kunal Patil’s grandfather, Chudaman Patil, also served as a three-time MP from the Dhule Lok Sabha constituency between 1962 and 1971.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal criticised the move, calling it self-sabotaging.

“Patil’s decision is self-harming. BJP cannot nurture its own cadre into leadership roles, which is why it is stealing leaders from other parties. Kunal Patil comes from a proud Congress legacy. His father and grandfather were both prominent Congress figures who held key posts. They would be deeply hurt by this decision,” he said.

Leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Vijay Wadettiwar, said whoever wants to leave the Congress is free to do so. “We will continue to work hard and strengthen the party in Maharashtra.”

Patil’s exit follows that of former Pune MLA Sangram Thopte, another Congress loyalist, who switched to BJP in April, further reflecting the growing attrition within the Congress’ traditional base.

India