BJP trying to poach MLAs from Congress, claims Ashok Chavan

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan on Friday alleged that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is calling the Congress party legislators and asking them to join the BJP. Mr Chavan also said that Mr Fadnavis is trying to sabotage the Congress party before the Assembly election. The Congress state unit held a district wise review meeting for the Assembly election. The Congress general secretary, Mallikarjun Kharge, was also present at the meeting.

Speaking with the reporters at Tilak Bhavan after a two-day district wise review meeting for Assembly poll preparations, the Congress state president said that he does not think anybody from his party would join the BJP.

Mr Chavan said, “I don’t think anybody from the Congress will leave the party. Mr Fadnavis is calling many of them and asking them to join the BJP. The CM is toiling to cause a rift in Congress but I don't think anyone will respond.”

Slamming his former colleague and former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe

Patil for his remark that he would wipe out the Congress from Ahmednagar, he said, “Just because of the win in the Lok Sabha polls, such over-confidence is unwarranted. It is not necessary the Lok Sabha results will be replicated in the Assembly.”

He said the result of the Loksabha election; the current political situation in the state, drought and preparation for Assembly election has been discussed in the meeting.  

A source, who attended the meeting, told The Asian Age, “The local district party leaders have demanded to go solo in assembly election as the NCP had not worked at the ground level for the party candidates. Even few of them have suggested for forging an alliance with VBA for the Assembly elections.”