Samarjeetsinh Ghatge, a member of Kolhapur's royal family, rejoined the BJP on April 8, 2026, after quitting the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). The induction ceremony took place in Mumbai. He stated his aim to strengthen the party in western Maharashtra's cooperative sector.
Samarjeetsinh Ghatge rejoined the BJP on Wednesday in Mumbai, during an induction ceremony attended by state president Ravindra Chavan and Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil.
"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is like a brother to me. I joined the BJP with the aim to strengthen the party in western Maharashtra, with a focus on the cooperative sector," Ghatge said.
This marks his second stint with the BJP. He had quit the party ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections after not receiving a ticket from the Kagal constituency in Kolhapur district, and joined the NCP (SP).
On leaving the NCP (SP), Ghatge stated, "Before joining the BJP, I explained my position to Sharad Pawar. I made the decision to quit in November 2025, and here we are. Now, we are in the BJP and will do as the party says."
