Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Eknath Khadse, who stepped down recently as Maharashtra Revenue Minister following a string of allegations, on Friday made a futile bid to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as well as senior party leaders in New Delhi.
Mr. Khadse is also facing an Anti-Terrorism Squad investigation in connection with his mobile number purportedly figuring in call records of the landline number of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s residence in Karachi. However, barring Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, other senior party leaders declined an audience with the heavyweight politician from North Maharashtra who went to Delhi with documents to present his case before the party leadership.
A Maharashtra BJP leader said Mr. Khadse tried to meet Mr. Modi who has returned from his five-nation tour, but without success.
“The party has already begun to groom Mr. Khadse’s arch rival in Jalgaon and state Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan to head the party in the district,” he said.
The BJP is more concerned with ensuring the party’s victory in the forthcoming elections to the Zilla Parishad, Municipal Councils and Panchayat Samitis in Jalgaon district. — PTI
