MUMBAI, Dec. 18 -- In what is perceived as a blow to the Congress in Marathwada, Pradnya Satav, the widow of senior Congress leader Rajeev Satav and legislative council member, is all set to quit the party and join the BJP on Thursday. Pradnya's defection comes just a year after the party nominated her to the upper house, and she has over four years of her tenure remaining. Her move also comes as a surprise to the BJP's ally Shiv Sena, as she is seen as the potential BJP candidate in the next assembly polls opposite the Sena's controversial Kalamnuri MLA Sanjay Bangar, who has been at war with the BJP leadership in the district. The Mahayuti parties, after the intra-alliance poaching reached new heights recently, had agreed not to disturb sitting MLAs. However, the BJP plans to go solo in 2029. After Rajeev Satav passed away from Covid-19 in May 2021, Pradnya, who is an MBBS degree-holder, was sent to the legislative council for three years by the Congress in the biennial election in November 2021. She was sent again to the upper house in July 2024 by the party for the full six-year term by electing her from its MLAs. "She is likely to join the BJP in the presence of Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan on Thursday," said a BJP leader requesting anonymity. "She is believed to have been promised re-election to the upper house on the seat vacated by her by resigning from Congress." Congress leaders, meanwhile, have dismissed the reports. "I don't think she will quit the party," said Satej Patil, the Congress's group leader in the council. "We have been in touch during the winter session, which ended on Sunday. The reports are baseless."...