After joining the BJP, Raja pointed to the discrimination within Congress regarding ticket distribution, saying that "tickets are not being given based on merit."

A veteran Congress leader Ravi Raja along with his supporters on Thursday joined the BJP in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar.

Ravi Raja was angry for not getting a ticket from Sion-Koliwada assembly seat. Raja has been the leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and has been party member for over 44 years.