"Joined BJP But...": Sharad Pawar Camp Leader Rethinks Move

Former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse on Monday expressed his disappointment with being kept waiting in the wings for a formal acceptance into the BJP.

The veteran politician from north Maharashtra said he was welcomed into the BJP by its president J P Nadda a few months ago. “But a formal public announcement could not happen due to opposition from some people,” Mr Khadse said, without naming Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

“I think it is not alright to linger on in the BJP in such a situation,” Khadse (72) told reporters at Jalgaon. “I will wait for a few more days and then take a decision,” he added.

“I am still a member of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and also its legislator. I had resigned from that party but Pawar hasn't accepted my resignation and also asked me to continue as a legislator,” he said.

Mr Khadse left the BJP in October 2020 and joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP owing to differences with BJP leader Mr Fadnavis and his North Maharashtra pointsman Girish Mahajan.

After joining the Pawar-led party in 2020, Mr Khadse had blamed Fadnavis for “trying to destroy his life” and political career.

Mr Khadse belongs to the OBC Leva-Patil community. He hails from Muktainagar in Jalgaon district and wields influence in North Maharashtra-Khandesh region.

Mr Khadse had won the Muktainagar assembly seat six times in 1990, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. His daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse won the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Raver and is now a Union minister of state.

His daughter Rohini Khadse is the NCP (SP)'s state women wing chief. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)