Maharashtra’s sidelined BJP leader Eknath Khadse’s recent cryptic comment that there is no guarantee that he may continue to remain in the party has sparked speculation in the State political circles that he might quit the Amit Shah-led party during the next fortnight.
Informed sources said here on Sunday that Khadse might announce his resignation from the BJP either during the Winter Session of the Maharashtra Legislature beginning on Monday or when Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visits Aurangabad to lay foundation stone for the construction for a memorial of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde in the near future.
Sources said that Khadse — who had met NCP president Sharad Pawar in the national capital on December 9 and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the following day in Mumbai — was toying with the idea of joining the Shiv Sena.
Speaking at public rally organised by BJP leader Pankaja Munde at Panli on the occasion of the 70th birth anniversary of her father and senior party leader Gopinath Munde on Friday, Khadse had made no bones about admitting the manner in which he was side-lined within the party and the party had created such a situation where he would have to decide on continue to remain in the party in such a troubled atmosphere or quit the party.
“While Pankja will remain in the BJP, there is no guarantee about me,” Khadse had said.
Singled out former Chief Minister Devendra Fandaiv for a vicious attack, Khadse had charged that Fadnavis “ungrateful” towards late Munde. “Gopinathrao did not stab anyone in the back. It was Gopinathrao who made Fadnavis the State party president. When I was the Minister in the BJP-led Government, I had allotted the land for constructing a memorial after Gopinathrao. But, Fadnavis completed one full term as the Chief Minister and came back briefly as the Chief Minister.
“Nothing happened during Fadnavis’ five year-term. It was only when Fadnavis remained as the Chief Minister for 80 hours during his second term that he issued work orders for the start of the construction of a Gopinath Memorial at Aurangabad,” Khadse said, adding that if Fadnavis so chose, he could have constructed the memorial for late Munde during the first tenure as the Chief Minister.
Khadse revealed that when he met Maharashtra’s new Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, latter readily agreed to allocate money for the construction of a memorial for late Gopinath Munde at Aurangabad. “When I met him recently and broached the issue of the memorial for late Munde, Uddhav readily agreed to allocate money for the memorial. He also told me that he wanted to the location in Aurangabad where late Munde’s memorial is to be constructed,” he said.
With the possibility of Khadse quitting the BJP looming large over the state political arena, spotlight will turn on him during the course of the winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature. This is despite the fact the Khadse, who was denied party ticket by the BJP contest the State Assembly elections, is not member of both the Houses of the State Legislature.