Eknath Khadse, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Revenue Minister, has hit out at the likely inclusion of Narayan Rane, former Congress leader from Konkan, in the Maharashtra Cabinet.
The BJP leader from Jalgaon was speaking in Dhule on Tuesday at an event to release a Marathi book on the Emergency. Mr. Khadse lashed out at his party and Mr. Rane in the presence of BJP national vice-president Shyam Jaju.
Mr. Khadse said, “Someone [referring to himself] who has devoted his entire life to the party to see it in power in Maharashtra is now on the outside, while people like Narayan Rane who have renounced their party are to be given Cabinet berths.”
Mr. Khadse said, “Renegades like Rane have been promised prime positions in the party. It seems my role is being limited to that of an instructor. I am deliberately making these comments in the presence of Mr. Jaju.”
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said on Monday that Mr. Rane would be soon inducted into the State Cabinet. Mr. Rane floated his own party, Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh, after falling out with the Congress last month. Mr. Rane was Maharashtra Chief Minister in 1999 when he was with the Shiv Sena.
In June 2016, Mr. Khadse was accused of abusing his position as Revenue Minister and indulging in murky land deals. He was forced to quit the Cabinet following allegations of impropriety in purchasing land belonging to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in Pune’s Bhosari area.
The government later initiated a judicial inquiry against him. In April this year, the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau in compliance with the Bombay High Court’s directive lodged an FIR against Mr. Khadse
Call on Khadse’s future
Meanwhile, current Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil indicated that Mr. Rane may be inducted into the State Cabinet by December 11 following a reshuffle.
Mr. Patil said in Pandharpur that Mr. Fadnavis and BJP national president Amit Shah would be soon taking a call on Mr. Khadse’s future in the party.
