Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, February 13. He was accorded a warm welcome by BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar and other senior leaders, at the state party headquarters.

BJP leaders Pravin Darekar, Girish Mahajan, Harshavardhan Patil, were also present to receive Chavan at the BJP office. He is likely to be nominated as a BJP candidate for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. Chavan dropped a bombshell when he abruptly quit the Congress Party and also as the sitting MLA from Bhokar, with which he was associated for over 40 years.

He was officially inducted to the BJP with Bawankule signing his membership form amid cheers and applause by the gathering and celebrations outside the BJP office in his hometown Nanded.

Speaking to the media, Chavan had said that he would start a new chapter in his political career with the BJP from now.