Mumbai
As the birth anniversary of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader late Gopinath Munde is fast approaching, disgruntled Eknath Khadse and Pankaja Munde are aggressively articulating their unhappiness against their own party and party leadership. Their motive, according to BJP sources, both Khadse and Pankaja expect the party to accommodate them in the Legislative Council. On the other hand, these leaders along with others are seeking to regroup the Mali-Dhangar-Vanjari (MADHAV) community under their leadership and revive the MADHAV factor which was initiated by late Munde – to checkmate the BJP leadership.
MADHAV, the communities from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) have remained the traditional vote bank of the BJP. The leaders from Dhangar and Vanjari community opine that during the previous government, these communities were cornered. Pankaja Munde, daughter of late Munde was defeated in assembly polls held in October this year. Ram Shinde, a leader from Dhanagar population and inheritor of royal family of Great noble king Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore was also defeated in the state assembly elections.
Khadse was sidelined from the active politics even after he was got a clean chit from the inquiry commission formed to probe charges of Khadse’s involvement in MIDC land scam. Again, his daughter Adv Rohini was defeated in assembly polls.
Khadse, Shinde were recognized as leaders from the late Munde camp. Vinod Tawde too was considered a Munde camp loyalist. Tawade was refused party ticket in the recent assembly polls. All these unhappy leaders have regrouped and joined hands against the BJP leadership and planning to reunite with the OBC community under the umbrella of MADHAV factor.
The congregation at Bhagwangad in Beed to commemorate late Munde’s birth anniversary has been organised by Pankaja Munde as she is doing it since last five years, it is anticipated that Pankaja may announce her future political strategy. Khadse would be present at the gathering. So also former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis along with BJP state president Chandrakant Patil would also present at Bhagwangad on December 12.
The sources said, BJP is planning to promote Suresh Dhas as LoP in Upper House instead of Sujit Singh Thakur and that is why Pankaja is angry. Dhas has completed his political circumnavigation, first resigning from BJP, then joining the NCP and again joining the BJP. During his stay in the NCP, Dhas had caused distress to late Munde in Beed district and that is the reason why Pankaja is objecting to Dhas becoming the LoP.
On the other hand, the highly placed sources claimed Khadse has two options to join either NCP or the Shiv Sena. The ball is in the court of these two parties. The sources claimed if BJP leadership would not think about rehabilitation of Khadse in upcoming days, he would choose to join Sena instead of NCP.
“Khadse’s joining Sena would boost party not only in Jalgaon district but in all four districts in North Maharashtra region. It will also help to checkmate Girish Mahajan, BJP leader from the region,” said the source.
As of now, it is not certain whether other sulking leaders from BJP would go along with Khadse if he decides to break his 40 years allegiance with the BJP and join Sena.
On the other hand, local Sena leaders from Jalgaon are against Khadse’s joining Sena, as Khadse was they hold him responsible for breaking the 30 years old coalition with Sena before the 2014 assembly elections. For Sena, Khadse is still villain, said the source.
