Mumbai, Sep 22 (IANS): Two senior Nationalist Congress Party leaders from Maharashtra, including a minister, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party here Monday.

Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjay Savkare, who is legislator from Bhusawal in north Maharashtra's Jalgaon, switched over to the BJP.

Along with him, legislator from Murbad in Thane district, Kisan Kathore also joined the BJP in the present of Leader of Oppositon in assembly Eknath Khadse.

"Both the leaders have a strong support base in their respective constituencies and the BJP will benefit from their experience," Khadse said while welcoming them to the party fold.

In the past few weeks, several top NCP leaders from around the state have deserted to join the BJP.

These included Ajit Ghorpade, a political rival of Home Minister R.R. Patil, former central minister Suryakanta Patil, former union home minister S. B. Chavan's son-in-law and ex-MP Bhaskarrao Patil-Khatgaonkar, former state minister Babanrao Pachpute and senior leader Madhav Kinhalkar.