India, Oct. 22 -- Days after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis instructed local BJP chieftains to induct influential leaders from other parties before the local body polls, four heavyweight former MLAs from different tehsils of Solapur are set to join the party. Three of these are from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

In a counter-reaction, irked BJP workers took to the streets on Tuesday and had a sit-in outside the BJP office in Solapur city to oppose this inflow. The protesting workers expressed their fears of injustice being done to them and the possibility of a backlash from traditional BJP voters. Indeed, dissident voices in local units where attempts are on to poach opposition leaders have been rising within the party.

Fadnavis met the fou...