Ashok Chavan joins BJP, others may follow suit

Mumbai: Much on expected lines, veteran politician and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan joined the BJP on Tuesday a day after his resignation from the Congress, the Grand Old Party, with which he had been associated since childhood.

The Congress hit back at Chavan describing him as a “coward” and “back-stabber” and accused him of succumbing to the pressures of central agencies like CBI and ED — an obvious reference to the Adarsh scam.

Many more Congress MLAs and MLCs are likely to follow suit and join the BJP-led Maha Yuti formation (NDA) which includes the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

Besides Chavan, his close aide and former MLC Amarnath Rajurkar too joined the BJP.

The BJP could send Chavan to Rajya Sabha.

Chavan (65) is a former two-time Maharashtra chief minister and ex-president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

Chavan joined the BJP in presence of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule, Mumbai counterpart Ashish Shelar and tourism minister Girish Mahajan.

“Chavan ji conveyed to me that he wants to be in the mainstream and work under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi. In the days to come many of the leaders and workers close to him would join us,” Fadnavis said, adding that Chavan’s entry would give a major boost to the Maha Yuti (NDA) in Marathwada and Maharashtra.

Chavan thanked Modi, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda and the BJP team. “In the state, as per traditions of Maharashtra, we all have worked together for public cause,” he said.

“I am entering the BJP today to work under the leadership of Modi ji and be part of the development of India and Maharashtra,” he said, adding that he has always worked with “positive approach” and “development outlook”.

“I will strengthen the BJP and we all will work together to get more seats,” he said.

“I have left the (Congress) party…some supported me, some criticised me…I am not going to engage in mudslinging. From today itself, I would work for BJP,” he said, adding that he would work with the goal of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’.

“I have not asked for anything…I will do whatever work is assigned,” he said, adding that leaving Congress was his “personal decision”.

“Its true that the Congress has given me a lot…but at the same time, I too have contributed a lot,” said Chavan.

Before he left for the BJP office, he said that the Congress chapter is closed for him.

Chavan is a two-time MP and four-time MLA from Nanded district of Marathwada region of the state and a one-time MLC.

Chavan is son of former two-time Maharashtra chief minister Shankarrao Chavan, who had also been a long-time union minister having portfolios like home, defence, finance besides being the deputy chairman of Planning Commission.

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala said that Chavan is a coward and back-stabber who ran away from the field. “The Congress gave him everything…MLC, MLA, MP, state president, minister for around 14-15 years, twice he was chief minister, he always had an opportunity to lead the party. Till yesterday, he was with the Congress and then suddenly left to join the BJP,” he said, adding that Chavan seems to have succumbed to pressures of ED and CBI - a reference to the Adarsh scam.