Sujay Vikhe Patil, the son of senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, joined the BJP in Mumbai on Tuesday, 12 March ahead of next month's Lok Sabha polls.
The move follows the Sharad Pawar-led NCP's refusal to leave aside the Ahmedanagar Lok Sabha seat for the neuro suregon son of the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.
Sujay Vikhe Patil joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state party chief Raosaheb Danve at an event held in south Mumbai.
Welcoming him into the BJP-fold, Fadnavis said his party's parliamentary committee will recommend his name for the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat.
"When Sujay Vikhe Patil decided to join the BJP, he did not lay down any condition. We in the BJP believe in his capacity, and would recommend his name to BJP's central parliamentary committee," he said.
Dilip Gandhi is BJP's sitting MP from Ahmednagar.