Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ashish Deshmukh submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde on Wednesday, a day after calling it quits and meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi at a public rally in Wardha.
Mr. Deshmukh, who represented Vidarbha’s Katol constituency, said the BJP’s failure to fulfil promises made before coming to power in 2014 led to his decision. He said, “I represent the people. If the people are not happy, and I am not able to deliver for them despite being an MLA of the ruling party, then I have no reason to remain an MLA.” Mr. Deshmukh said there could be more exits from the BJP as several MLAs have noticed discontentment among the public over the party’s leadership.
In 2014, Mr. Deshmukh had won the Katol seat by defeating his uncle and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh. On speculation that he is likely to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Wardha or Nagpur constituency,
Mr. Deshmukh said, “In case of a Congress-NCP alliance, the seat might go to the NCP. When I met Rahul ji yesterday, he asked me to come to Delhi. I think that explanation is enough for now.”
Mr. Deshmukh, who has been taking up Vidarbha’s cause for over two years, said that the government’s schemes had nothing more to offer than catchy names. He said he has been voicing out the problems of farmers, youths and Dalits, but the Chief Minister has failed to take action. for the past two years.
He said, “Forget about the State, this government could not even do anything for Vidarbha. Neither were jobs created nor were farmers compensated. as promised. This government has completely failed on every front.” We have no environment for investment. Communal disharmony promoted by the BJP is making things difficult. They are playing the politics of polarisation.”
Mr. Deshmukh is likely to resign from the party during Navratri. If he joins the Congress, he will be the second representative from Vidarbha, after former Bhandara-Gondia MP Nana Patole, to flock to the party from the BJP.
