BJP-Turned-NCP Leader Khadse Taunts Fadnavis Over Ajit Pawar Joining Maha Govt

Nationalist Congress Party leader Eknath Khadse on Monday taunted his former Bharatiya Janata Party colleague and Maharashtra Depiuty Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for joining hands with NCP leader Ajit Pawar after levelling corruption allegations against him.

 Khadse, a key leader of the BJP for over three decades, was a minister in the Fadnavis government that took over in 2014 but had to resign amid allegations of corruption involving a land deal and finally joined the Nationalist Congress Party after being sidelined in the BJP.

 "Time is powerful. I was there with (BJP leaders) Devendra Fadnavis, Vinod Tawde and Sudhir Mungantiwar when they levelled corruption charges against several NCP leaders, including Ajit Pawar. Now, Fadnavis has to join hands with same leaders," he said.

He said the documents submitted by Fadnavis, Tawde and Mungantiwar in connection with the allegations to the Aurangabad collector at the time could have filled a bullock cart.

 Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, were inducted into the Eknath Shinde government on Sunday. Pawar was made deputy chief minister, while the others were sworn in as ministers.

 "Now all the charges against the NCP leaders have been washed away.They are now clean (after joining hands with the BJP)," said Khadse, a former state minister as well as leader of opposition in the Assembly. Khadse is currently an NCP MLC.