mumbai

Updated: Sep 02, 2019 15:34 IST

Abdul Sattar Abdul Nabi on Monday became the fourth sitting legislator of the Congress to leave the party in the last few months as he joined the Shiv Sena ahead of the assembly election in Maharashtra scheduled to be held in October this year.

Abdul Sattar, the two-term member of legislative assembly (MLA), was suspended by the Congress in April for anti-party activities. He represents Sillod assembly constituency of Marathwada region that is known for drought and water scarcity.

Sattar said he joined the Shiv Sena as the party has been working for the cause of farmers.

“In the last five years, Sena has been fighting for the cause of farmers. Being an opposition party, it was our (Congress) responsibility but Sena raised its voice over farmers’ plight irrespective of the fact that they are part of the government,” Sattar said slamming the Congress party.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray declared Sattar’s nomination from Sillod assembly constituency, saying he wants Sattar to win the seat once again.

Before Nabi, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Kalidas Kolambkar and Jaykumar Gorehad left the Congress. Sattar is considered close to Vikhe Patil, who left the party and joined the BJP in June this year. Earlier, Sattar too was in contact with the BJP’s leaders.

Sattar was suspended from the Congress after he declared his support to rebel Shiv Sena MLA Harshwardhan Jadhav, who was contesting the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent against Chandrakant Khaire, the Sena candidate from Aurangabad parliamentary constituency. Jadhav is the son-in-law of the former president of the BJP’s state unit Raosaheb Danve.

Sillod assembly under the BJP according to the seat-sharing agreement with the Shiv Sena. The Sena is said to have sought the seat on the ground that the BJP has failed to win the seat since 2009.