Mumbai, October 31: In a significant development ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Congress leader Ravi Raja has resigned from the party and has decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. Raja has been the leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and has been party member for over 44 years. Releasing his resignation letter in a post on X, the letter read, "Since 1980 as a Youth Congress Member, I have served the party with utmost sincerity and dedication and today I am made to believe that my 44 years of service for the Congress party is not respected and hence I take this decision of resigning from my party post."

The Assembly elections for the 288 Maharashtra Assembly are going to happen in a single phase on November 20, with the counting of votes to happen on November 23. The main contest is between two alliances, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the ruling Mahayuti. The MVA comprises of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar). The Mahayuti coalition consists of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Battle for State Heats Up As Ekhanth Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray-Led Shiv Sena Factions Set for Fierce Showdown in 47 Segments of 288 Seats.

Ravi Raja Resigns From INC, Set To Join BJP

As the electoral battle lines get drawn for the elections, both alliances have seen a lot of developments, including discontent across party lines and protests against the nomination of candidates. The BJP has opposed the candidature of Nawab Malik, the NCP (Ajit Pawar) candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency. "Nawab Malik should accept our wishes on his candidature from NCP. We are firm on our view about Nawab Malik which Devendra ji had said initially," said Chandrashekhar Bawankule, BJP's Maharashtra state president. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath Among Top BJP Bigwigs To Hold Over 170 Poll Rallies in State.

Moreover, the MVA is also facing multiple protests from party members who are unsatisfied with the seat sharing arrangements. Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala urged any Congress leader who has filed a nomination as an independent to withdraw the same. "We have given 'A' & 'B' forms only to those candidates whose names have been announced by the party. Those Congress leaders who have filed nominations independently should withdraw their nominations," he said.

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