Former executive editor of Shiv Sena's Hindi mouthpiece joins BJP

Prem Shukla, former executive editor of Shiv Sena's Hindi language mouthpiece 'Dopahar ka Saamna', today formally joined the BJP, days after he quit the tabloid apparently over differences with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Shukla was inducted as the BJP member at a function organised here in the presence of state unit BJP secretary (organisation) Ravindra Bhusari, city unit BJP chief Ashish Shelar and heads of various wings of the BJP. Though Shukla has not been given any post yet, Shelar hinted that he may be assigned some responsibilities to be tackled at the national level.

On the occasion, Shukla said that he would work for strengthening the BJP and do any task his party asks him to. Shukla had resigned as executive editor on December 31 last year, apparently after falling out with Thackeray amid speculation that he was on his way to BJP which is the ruling party in the state with Sena as its partner.

Shukla, appointed as Editor of 'Dopahar Ka Saamana' in 2005 after his predecessor Sanjay Nirupam quit, never held any political post with Sena, but acted as the party's face in articulating its views on various issues before print and electronic media.

Before putting down his papers, Shukla had stopped participating in television debates, reportedly at the behest of Thackeray as the latter believed that Shukla was siding with the BJP.