“I have decided to return home”: Eknath Khadse confirms joining BJP

Former NCP leader Eknath Khadse set to rejoin BJP after meeting with party president. Daughter to stay with NCP. Political dynamics in Maharashtra shifting

MUMBAI: In the wake of much speculation, former minister and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Eknath Khadse is all set to return to the BJP. Khadse confirmed the development for the first time himself, saying he would be “going home” soon. His induction will take place in Delhi in the coming days. However, his daughter Rohini Khadse-Khewalkar, who heads the women’s wing of the NCP (SP) has refused to leave and has clarified that she is not going to change her party.

“I have decided to return home”: Khadse confirms joining BJP

The development is being seen as a jolt to the NCP (SP), which not only inducted Khadse back in 2020 but also made him an MLC. Khadse’s daughter-in-law Raksha, also a sitting MP, has been recently renominated as the BJP’s candidate from Raver Lok Sabha constituency, and the NCP (SP) is set to contest elections against her. Raksha’s candidature was declared by the BJP only after Khadse held a few meetings with the central leadership, insiders said.

On Sunday Khadse announced that he had met BJP national president J P Nadda and would rejoin the BJP. “I was the one who contributed to the BJP’s development in Maharashtra for many years,” he told HT. “After working for over 40 years, I have an affinity towards the party but quit for a reason. My anger has subsided now so I have decided to return to my home.”

Khadse was the seniormost leader in the BJP and was at loggerheads with Devendra Fadnavis after the latter was made chief minister in 2014. He was made a senior minister with multiple portfolios in the Fadnavis government but was forced to resign following allegations of corruption in a land deal in Bhosari in 2016. He could not return to the state cabinet after that, and was also denied a ticket for the assembly elections in 2019. Effectively, he was in the political wilderness for almost five years before he quit the BJP and joined the NCP (undivided) in 2020.

Khadse was a prominent leader of the BJP from North Maharashtra and has a significant hold in the region, which is expected to help the saffron party in these elections. He comes from the OBC Leva Patil community, which has a sizable population in North Maharashtra. In October 2020, he joined the NCP, alleging that Fadnavis was out to finish his political career.

Soon after Khadse announced his decision to join the BJP, the Shiv Sena (UBT) slammed both. “The BJP made several allegations against Khadse and Khadse too made allegations against the ruling party. Is there a new washing machine that has cleaned everything?” said Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson. Raut also recalled allegations of a serious nature made by Khadse against Fadnavis and asked, “What happened to those allegations?”

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule told reporters that the state BJP leaders were not against Khadse’s induction. “No one is against Khadse, not even Fadnavis ji,” he told reporters. “In fact, I have witnessed the respect extended to Khadse ji by Fadnavis ji in the past.”

NCP (SP), Maharashtra president Jayant Patil alleged that Khadse was under pressure from the ruling party. “I don’t know about Khadse’s decision to join BJP but I was aware of the fact that he was under tremendous pressure for the past many days,” Patil remarked.