Former BJP minister Eknath Khadse to join NCP this week
Khadse has been sulking since he was made to resign as a minister in the then Fadnavis-led BJP government in 2016 on allegations of corruption.
Disgruntled BJP leader Eknath Khadse is set to join the NCP on Friday. “Eknath Khadse has informed us that he had resigned from all posts in the BJP. We will now induct him into our party,” Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil said.
“I resigned because of the ill-treatment meted in the organisation. I hold Devendra Fadnavis responsible for ruining my political career in BJP,” Khadse, who is currently in Muktainagar town said. He has also resigned from the party’s primary membership.
“We have received Khadse’s resignation from party’s primary membership. Out best wishes to him for his future roadmap,” BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhya told media.
Khadse has been disgruntled with the BJP after he was forced to resign in 2016 on corruption charges. He was subsequently denied a ticket in the 2019 Assembly elections and his daughter who was given a ticket from the seat that he represented also lost the polls.
Khadse, who has been unhappy with the BJP for the last few years, has expressed his disappointment in public on various forums. He had also indicated in the past that there were offers from all three parties Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena.
Last week, Khadse skipped attending a function in Jalgaon in which former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was present. He, instead, took out time to meet NCP leader and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh who had visited Jalgaon last Saturday. In the recent past, Khadse had targeted Fadnavis, accusing him of ruining his political career. Khadse had accused Fadnavis of plotting against him, as he was a “strong contender to be the first OBC CM candidate” of BJP.
The BJP leadership over the past few days had been stating that Khadse would not quit the party.
“I am confident that Eknath Khadse, who is our senior leader will remain with the BJP. Anyone resigning from the party sends his resignation to me as I am the president of the party in the state. I have not received the resignation of anyone senior or junior leader from the party. Moreover, “I am confident that Eknath Khadse, who is our senior leader, will not do any such thing.” State BJP President Chandrakant Patil had said earlier this week after reports that Khadse was set to ditch the BJP. Fadnavis also dismissed the news saying that there are talks every day of such kind of ‘muhurat’.
On Monday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Khadse was earlier the leader of opposition and played a huge role in building the BJP in the state. “One is bound to feel disturbed if his contributions and hard work are not taken note of. He may think why shouldn’t he shift to a party which appreciates his work,” the NCP leader said.
Khadse’s daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse is a BJP MP from Raver in Jalgaon district.
News Life is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@thenewslife) and stay updated with the latest
