Bhagyashri Atram Joins NCP (SP) Amid Political Tensions

Bhagyashri Atram, daughter of Maharashtra minister Dharmarao Baba Atram, joined the NCP (SP) despite Ajit Pawar's efforts to dissuade her. Her move suggests a potential electoral contest against her father. Bhagyashri expressed gratitude to Sharad Pawar for ensuring her father's safe return during his 1991 kidnapping by Naxalites.

Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dharmarao Baba Atram's daughter, Bhagyashri Atram, officially joined the NCP (SP) on Thursday. This move comes despite attempts by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to prevent her from crossing over to the Sharad Pawar-led faction.

The induction ceremony, held in Aheri within Gadchiroli district, saw the presence of State NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil and party leader Anil Deshmukh. Speculations are rife that this development might lead to an electoral contest between Bhagyashri and her father, an MLA from Aheri, in the upcoming state assembly elections.

Bhagyashri stated that her decision was driven by gratitude towards Sharad Pawar for orchestrating her father's safe return following his 1991 kidnapping by Naxalites. She lamented her father's departure from Sharad Pawar's faction after the NCP split. Opposition leaders, including Patil and Deshmukh, reinforced their commitment to addressing local issues and providing employment opportunities for the youth in Gadchiroli.

(With inputs from agencies.)