MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who heads the home department, which supervises the work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), has cleared the hurdles for BJP leader Eknath Khadse’s re-entry into the Cabinet, two years after the latter’s unceremonious exit from it.
The BJP needs Khadse, who is known as an aggressive leader, for the party’s fight against the Shiv Sena in the upcoming elections. Khadse is a senior OBC leader from North Maharashtra. His presence is now required by the BJP as Fadnavis - led State Government has been facing several controversies and challenges ahead of the elections.
BJP ignored Khadse’s claim for the CM’s post in 2014 and he was forced to resign after a land purchase controversy on June 4, 2016. He then had second ranking in the Cabinet. His relations with Chief Minister Fadnavis remained tense always and there was gossip in the political circles that Khadse was removed from the Cabinet due to political reasons. Khadse was really aggressive during the 2014 elections against the Shiv Sena that made an announcement of breaking the 25 years alliance of the BJP with them.
Now, Shiv Sena has declared to go solo in the 2019 elections which will be a strong contest for the BJP.
Khadse was very upset with CM Fadnavis since the last two years and slammed the government several times. “Now after getting ACB’s clean chit, CM Fadnavis may induct Khadse in the Cabinet again though he is not willing to do so. He had a discussion with party president Amit Shah before taking the decision about Khadse,” party sources said.
