Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) senior-leader in Maharashtra Eknath Khadse is all set to join NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) on Friday.
Confirming the news, NCP leader Jayant Patil talking to mediapersons on Wednesday also said, “Eknath Khade has resigned from BJP and will officially join NCP by Friday (October 23) 2 pm. Many others are interested to join the NCP along Khadse. He is a senior leader and the BJP has done injustice to him.”
The development comes only a day after former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis rejected the rumours, saying there are talks every day of such kind of ‘muhurat’. On the other side, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said Eknath Khadse was earlier the leader of the opposition and played a huge role in building the BJP in Maharashtra.
Eknath Khadse had been unhappy ever since he had to resign as a minister from the former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ government in the state. The sources said, Khadse’s daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse, is an MP from Raver Lok Sabha constituency in Jalgaon, will stay in BJP. Khadse's followers initially also alleged that former Chief Minister was instrumental in expelling Khadse.
In the 2019 assembly elections, Khadse was denied ticket from Muktainagar. His daughter Rohini was chosen instead but she lost to Shiv Sena rebel Chandrakant Patil. He is a senior leader and will have to be sufficiently rehabilitated in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Khadse will have to be rendered a senior minister in the MVA government.
