Last ditch efforts to woo Khadse fail as Guv post deal falls through, heaps scorn on Fadnavis

@the_news_21

Mumbai: The last ditch efforts to win over disgruntled, estranged senior Other Backward Class (OBC), Bharatiya Janata Party leader Eknath Khadse to remain in the party failed as the deal over cream state posting for Governor fell through. Khadse later heaped scorn on former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis holding the latter alone for his exit from the party.

Reacting to the news of Khadse’s decision to quit the party and join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), state BJP president Chandrakant Patil in a statement issued here stated that he made last minute efforts to impress upon Khadse not to leave the party. Stating that his efforts did not bear fruit, he admitted that he is in receipt of Khadse’s resignation, he added that he wished him good luck and would raise people’s issues in whichever party he decides to join.

After tendering his resignation, Khadse squarely blamed Fadnavis as being the sole reason for his quitting the party. He alleged that when even the opposition had not sought his resignation over the land deal issue in 2016, why then was he made to resign. Khadse further alleged that false cases of sexual harassment were filed against him. He added that despite coming through clean on all the charges he was not reinstated in the end.

Also Read: BJP leader Eknath Khadse resigns from party, will join NCP on Friday

Khadse was also apparently unhappy with the Fadnavis government not filing any criminal case against hacker Manish Bhangale who had made alleged sensational claims of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim making calls to Khadse over the alleged land deal. The former Revenue minister had even alleged that his office was placed under surveillance at the behest of Fadnavis, the then chief minister. Fadnavis then had in the state assembly stated that the opposition should not make unsubstantiated allegations against Khadse.

It may be recalled that former External Affairs minister (EAM), late Sushma Swaraj making her displeasure known at Khadse supporters trying to uncover the truth behind the alleged telephone call from the underworld don from Karachi. The former EAM had expressed her displeasure as the diplomatic relations with the hostile neighbor were at an all time low.

Sources in the BJP disclosed that after Khadse, Pankaja Munde and Prakash Mehta raised their banner of revolt last year, a meeting between Khadse, party president J P Nadda and union Home minister Amit Shah had taken place in the presence of Fadnavis.

While, Pankaja Munde was rehabilitated by inducting her in the party organisation at the national level, relations with Khadse soured as he apparently was not happy over being offered the post of the Governor of a state.

Commenting upon Khadse holding Fadnavis as responsible for his exit from the party, sources argued that while the former party leader did not hold any other party leader as responsible, it is quite clear that he was toeing the NCP line which wants to target Fadnavis in the coming days.

Khadse along with his daughter Rohini Khadse will be joining the NCP. It is still unclear as to whether his daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse who is the sitting BJP Lok Sabha MP from Jalgaon will follow suit.

Sources in the BJP disclosed that the party had given posts befitting his seniority. He was made the Revenue minister, the leader of opposition, his daughter-in-law was made the MP and in 2019 assembly polls his daughter too was given the party ticket instead of him from Jalgaon.