Setback To Congress! Pradnya Satav, Widow Of Rajiv Satav, Joins BJP Ahead Of Maharashtra Civic Polls

2025-12-18 05:00:51

(MENAFN- Live Mint) In a setback to Congress ahead of civic body polls in Maharashtra, Pradnya Satav on Thursday joined the BJP hours after submitting her resignation from the Upper House of the Maharashtra legislature as Member of the Legislative Council (MLC).

Pradnya Satav joined the saffron party in the presence of Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

Satav, the wife of late Rajiv Satav, a Congressman and close confidant of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. She hails from Hingoli district in the state's Marathwada region.

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal had said Pradnya Satav has been incommunicado.

After her husband's death, Satav served as vice president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

She was first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in 2021.

She was renominated to the legislative council in July last year, and her term was to end in 2030.

Reacting to the development, in a post on X, Congress spokesperson Pooja Tripathi said,“Personally as a congress worker I am heartbroken at Pradnya Satav joining BJP. When I joined the party after coming back to India I heard everyone talking about Rajeev Ji's unflinching commitment to party values and voters-not inheritance. I remember he wanting to take a padyatra emulating Gandhi Ji's Dandi and I thought that's a brilliant idea! Party-hopping may win power, but it erodes trust and a relation long built on mutual respect and empathy. What a fall! Would Rajeev Satav do that! Heart says Never!.”

According to reports, Satav handed over her resignation to the legislature secretariat after speaking to Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde.

Besides Satav, former MLA from Solapur district Dilip Mane also joined the BJP.

Elections to the 29 municipal corporations in the state will take place on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day.

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