Khadse to return to BJP?

MUMBAI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and minister Girish Mahajan on Monday hinted that Eknath Khadse is making attempts to return to the saffron party

MUMBAI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and minister Girish Mahajan on Monday hinted that Eknath Khadse is making attempts to return to the saffron party. He said Khadse has been trying to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Khadse confirmed with HT that he is trying to meet the duo over certain issues.

Mumbai, India - August 22, 2022: MLC Eknath Khadse during the monsoon session at Vidhan Bhavan, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, August 22, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

He claimed he will be meeting Shah along with NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. He, however, clarified that he is not planning to join the BJP.

Khadse was a senior minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government during 2014-19. But was forced to resign following allegations of misuse of office for personal gain in the Bhosari land deal in Pune in 2016. He could never return to the state cabinet for the rest of the term of the government. In 2019, he was also denied a party ticket for state assembly elections.

He was a prominent leader of the BJP from north Maharashtra and enjoys a significant hold in the region. He comes from Leva Patil, one of the OBC communities that has a sizable population in north Maharashtra. In October 2020, he joined NCP levelling allegations against Fadnavis that the latter was out to finish his political career.

“Khadse went to meet the union home minister in Delhi. He waited for three hours but to no avail,” Mahajan said. Khadse also tried meeting Devendra Fadnavis, he said, adding, “Devendra ji and I were sitting together at a program in Nashik when Khadse saheb came to me and urged to end this once and for all.”

Khadse said: “I am going to meet Amit Shah, it is true but I will be going with Sharad Pawar. I had asked Devendra ji too for a meeting. He promised to give me an appointment in a week but then he went to Russia and we could not meet. I will meet him as well.

He added there are certain issues that he wants to discuss but will not be able to disclose. Khadse clarified that there is no intention of him to join the BJP.

In June, Khadse was elected as a member of the legislative council from the NCP quota.