<p>Describing Rahul Gandhi as “OBC-virodhi”, veteran politician Dr Ashish Deshmukh - a stalwart from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra - on Sunday rejoined the BJP after a brief five-year association with the Congress. </p>.<p>A few months ago, Dr Deshmukh had spoken against Gandhi for insulting the OBC community vis-a-vis the comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi - even as he made accusations against state Congress President Nana Patole - following which he was expelled by the grand old party.</p>.<p>Dr Deshmukh, the son of former state Congress President and Textiles Minister Ranjeet Deshmukh and nephew of veteran NCP leader and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh - had started off with Congress and went on to join BJP. </p>.<p>For Dr Deshmukh, it was a ‘ghar wapsi’ as he is a former BJP MLA.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/dynasty-prevails-as-supriya-sule-wins-ncp-succession-race-1228716.html" target="_blank">Dynasty prevails as Supriya Sule wins NCP succession race</a></strong></p>.<p>However, Dr Deshmukh (49) declared that he would not be contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls - and work for the BJP in the state.</p>.<p>At a function in Nagpur on Sunday, Dr Deshmukh joined the BJP in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule.</p>.<p>“I don’t not want any post…I want to work for the BJP…in fact it was a mistake on my part to leave the BJP (and join Congress)…let me work for the party…let us work towards bringing the government of ‘Narendra and Devendra’ at the Centre and the state,” he said. </p>.<p>Over the past few weeks, Dr Deshmukh had been in touch with Fadnavis, Bawankule and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is an MP from Nagpur. </p>.<p>On 24 May, Dr Deshmukh was expelled by the grand old party for his statements against Gandhi and Maharashtra unit President Nana Patole - for a period of six years. The MPCC’s Disciplinary Action Committee which is chaired by former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, had suspended him on April 7 and sought his response, which was later found unsatisfactory leading to the expulsion. </p>.<p>In a TV interview, Deshmukh had stated that said that Gandhi should apologise to the OBC community - days after the Wayanad MP was suspended from Lok Sabha after a Surat court convicted and sentenced him for two years in a defamation case filed against him for his references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the OBC community. He had also alleged that Patole received money from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Chief Leader of Shiv Sena. </p>.<p>In 2014, Deshmukh successfully contested the Katol seat from the BJP and defeated NCP’s Anil Deshmukh, however, in 2019, he rejoined Congress and unsuccessfully contested the Nagpur South West seat against Fadnavis.</p>.<p>"We would decide how to utilise his expertise...that we would decide...but I must say, it takes tremendous guts to announce that one would not contest the next elections," Fadnavis said. </p>
<p>Describing Rahul Gandhi as “OBC-virodhi”, veteran politician Dr Ashish Deshmukh - a stalwart from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra - on Sunday rejoined the BJP after a brief five-year association with the Congress. </p>.<p>A few months ago, Dr Deshmukh had spoken against Gandhi for insulting the OBC community vis-a-vis the comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi - even as he made accusations against state Congress President Nana Patole - following which he was expelled by the grand old party.</p>.<p>Dr Deshmukh, the son of former state Congress President and Textiles Minister Ranjeet Deshmukh and nephew of veteran NCP leader and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh - had started off with Congress and went on to join BJP. </p>.<p>For Dr Deshmukh, it was a ‘ghar wapsi’ as he is a former BJP MLA.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/dynasty-prevails-as-supriya-sule-wins-ncp-succession-race-1228716.html" target="_blank">Dynasty prevails as Supriya Sule wins NCP succession race</a></strong></p>.<p>However, Dr Deshmukh (49) declared that he would not be contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls - and work for the BJP in the state.</p>.<p>At a function in Nagpur on Sunday, Dr Deshmukh joined the BJP in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule.</p>.<p>“I don’t not want any post…I want to work for the BJP…in fact it was a mistake on my part to leave the BJP (and join Congress)…let me work for the party…let us work towards bringing the government of ‘Narendra and Devendra’ at the Centre and the state,” he said. </p>.<p>Over the past few weeks, Dr Deshmukh had been in touch with Fadnavis, Bawankule and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is an MP from Nagpur. </p>.<p>On 24 May, Dr Deshmukh was expelled by the grand old party for his statements against Gandhi and Maharashtra unit President Nana Patole - for a period of six years. The MPCC’s Disciplinary Action Committee which is chaired by former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, had suspended him on April 7 and sought his response, which was later found unsatisfactory leading to the expulsion. </p>.<p>In a TV interview, Deshmukh had stated that said that Gandhi should apologise to the OBC community - days after the Wayanad MP was suspended from Lok Sabha after a Surat court convicted and sentenced him for two years in a defamation case filed against him for his references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the OBC community. He had also alleged that Patole received money from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Chief Leader of Shiv Sena. </p>.<p>In 2014, Deshmukh successfully contested the Katol seat from the BJP and defeated NCP’s Anil Deshmukh, however, in 2019, he rejoined Congress and unsuccessfully contested the Nagpur South West seat against Fadnavis.</p>.<p>"We would decide how to utilise his expertise...that we would decide...but I must say, it takes tremendous guts to announce that one would not contest the next elections," Fadnavis said. </p>
