Devendra Fadnavis never opposed Eknath Khadse: BJP leader Bawankule

Pune: Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis never opposed veteran leader Eknath Khadse, who is set to return to the saffron party.

More than three years after he ended his 40-year-old association with the BJP following differences with state leadership and crossed over to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (undivided), Khadse on Saturday said he will join his parent party next week in New Delhi.

Khadse had to resign in 2016 as a minister of the erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis cabinet owing to a land deal case. Once one of the tallest leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, Khadse was relegated to the political wilderness for almost five years before Sharad Pawar rehabilitated him in NCP (undivided) in 2020.

Notably, Khadse had blamed Fadnavis and his confidant Girish Mahajan for harming his political career.

Talking to mediapersons in Pune, Bawankule said, "There is a central as well as state committee of our party which looks after the new joinings. Both committees will take a decision on Eknath Khadse joining the BJP." "Devendra Fadnavis never opposed Eknath Khadse, instead he had huge respect for Khadse. Thus, the committees formed by our party will take the final decision," he said in reply to a question.

Bawankule, who took part in the BJP's 'Ghar Chalo' campaign here ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, said the party never refused anyone from joining it.

"A number of leaders including Ashok Chavan, Archana Patil, among others joined us. Our dupatta (the party scarf) is ready for those who want to join our party," the BJP leader said.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan quit the Congress in February this year and joined the BJP.

The BJP later nominated him for the Rajya Sabha poll from Maharashtra and he was elected unopposed to the Upper House of Parliament.

Archana Patil, the daughter-in-law of senior Congress leader and former Union home minister Shivraj Patil, also joined the BJP recently.

Khadse's entry into the BJP is expected to revive the party's strength in north Maharashtra region.

His daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse is the sitting BJP MP from Raver who is seeking a third term to the Lok Sabha in the upcoming elections.

His daughter Rohini Khadse is with the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).