Former Congress MLA Sangram Thopte, along with his supporters from Bhor taluka in Pune district, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. Maharashtra BJP president and state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, along with the party's working president Ravindra Chavan, welcomed Thopte into the BJP.

Thopte, who had been elected three times from the Bhor constituency in Pune district, lost to NCP candidate Shankar Mandekar in the 2024 assembly elections. According to sources, his family has strong ties to the Congress party. Thopte is the son of Anantrao Thopte, a party veteran who had represented Bhor six times and was a strong opponent of NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar. Thopte bid farewell to the party last week. 

Speaking on the occasion, Thopte said, "I was a hardcore Congressman. I worked for the party and the Maha Vikas Aghadi. But my work and loyalty weren't recognised. My father and I struggled for the party to ensure the Congress ideology reaches the grassroots." He mentioned that he had always been loyal to the Congress party, but they made him leave.

He also said that the BJP is the biggest party in the country, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which is why he has decided to join them. "I have known Fadnavis for several years, but I have never used that connection for politics," Thopte said.