Son of former minister Dandegaonkar joins BJP in another gain for party in Hingoli

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Atish Dandegaonkar, son of former cabinet minister Jayprakash Dandegaonkar from Hingoli, joined BJP in Mumbai on Thursday. Last Dec, Pradnya Satav — also from Hingoli — had similarly switched from Congress to BJP. Dandegaonkar was elected MLA from the Basmath assembly constituency twice (2004 and 2009) on undivided NCP ticket, and also served as state cooperation minister. He has long been regarded as an influential figure in the region's cooperative movement. Though he has stepped back from active politics due to age, his son Atish has been seen as carrying forward the family's political legacy.The entry of Atish into BJP is expected to further strengthen the party's organisational presence in Hingoli, political observers said.Calling his induction into BJP "a new beginning" for the holistic development of Basmath, Atish said, "Rapid development is taking place under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendraji Modi at Centre and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state. We are committed to taking this momentum forward for the people of Basmath."A day before his formal entry into BJP, Atish had said he was moving ahead with his father's blessings, a remark that underscored Dandegaonkar's support for his son's decision to join BJP.