MUMBAI, April 20 -- Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Prajakt Tanpure, nephew of senior party leader Jayant Patil, is expected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon, in a significant political development ahead of the Rahuri Assembly bypoll. Tanpure has called a meeting of party workers and supporters on Monday, ahead of the formal announcement. Sources said Tanpure may join the saffron party in the presence of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is scheduled to address a campaign rally for the Rahuri bypoll on Monday. Tanpure, a one-term MLA from Rahuri elected in 2019, belongs to a politically influential family in Ahilyanagar. The constituency was represented for years by his father Prasad Tanpure and grandfather Bapurao Tanpure. During the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, he was appointed Minister of State for Urban Development. He was defeated in the last Assembly election by Shivaji Kardile, whose death in October last year necessitated the bypoll, scheduled for April 24. The BJP has fielded Kardile's son Akshay Kardile, while the NCP-SP has nominated Govind Mokate. Tanpure, who was reportedly keen on contesting the bypoll on a BJP ticket and had expressed willingness to join the party for the same, was denied the nomination as sympathy was seen favouring Akshay Kardile following his father's death. However, sources said Tanpure has been assured an opportunity to contest the Assembly elections in 2029. He is now expected to formally join the BJP in the presence of Fadnavis. Tanpure, who had also explored the possibility of contesting the bypoll either as an Independent or as a BJP candidate, withdrew from the race after meeting BJP state president Ravindra Chavan and Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil just hours before the nomination deadline. Chavan and former MP Sujay Vikhe Patil had then publicly stated that Tanpure would be welcomed into the party if he chose to join. In recent weeks, Tanpure stayed away from campaigning for the NCP-SP candidate and openly hinted at quitting the party, citing the interests of his supporters and constituents. "It is very difficult to work in the interest of the workers and supporters if you are not in the government. In today's politics, principles and loyalty have their own limitations. Those who made ideological compromises are now in power, while those who remained steadfast are struggling to survive. My supporters also feel that it is time to take a call and it will be announced on Monday," he said. Tanpure, who is the nephew of Jayant Patil, is also believed to have been assured government assistance for his cooperative entities. His likely switch has also triggered speculation whether Jayant Patil may take a similar path in the future....