Got offers from ruling parties, but not met anyone in last 2 months: Eknath Khadse

Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse. (File)

Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse on Wednesday said that while he has received offers from all parties in the ruling coalition, he is yet to take a decision on leaving BJP.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Khadse said, “It is a fact that I have serious reservations about BJP. I have made it public. But for the last two months, I have not met anybody from NCP or any other party.” The BJP leader, who has been unwell and confined to his farmhouse in Jalgaon, added: “I have offers from Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. These offers are not new. Senior leaders had in the past urged me to join their organisations. Whether it was Ashok Chavan or Balasaheb Thorat, all had approached me.”

Sources said that on Wednesday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar held a meeting with local leaders of Jalgaon in Mumbai, purportedly to discuss Khadse.

However, NCP state president and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil said, “No decision was taken regarding Khadse. He is not joining NCP. The meeting was convened to discuss irrigation projects in orth Maharashtra.”

In the recent past, Khadse had targeted former chief minister and BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis, accusing him for ruining his political career. Khadse, who was forced to resign as minister in connection to a land grab case, had accused Fadnavis of plotting against him, as he was a “strong contender to be the first OBC CM candidate” of BJP.

When contacted, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil said, “I am confident that Khadse is not joining NCP. He is our senior leader and will continue in BJP. If there are some issues, it can be discussed in the party forum.”

Former BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar added: “Khadse’s relationship with BJP is like Ambuja Cement, which never breaks.”

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