'Those who came in politics in last 15 yrs teaching us': Khadse fires salvo at Fadnavis

Speaking during a function at Jalgaon on Wednesday, Maharashtra BJP leader Eknath Khadse took a veiled dig at former CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maintaining that his efforts had helped BJP get a majority on its own in the 2014 Assembly election, he lamented that people who have entered politics in the "last 15 years" were now trying to teach politicians like him. On the occasion of his 68th birthday, Khadse contended that people did not like Fadnavis' assertion of 'I will come back'. 

During the 2019 Assembly poll campaign, Fadnavis had repeatedly used the "'Mi punha yein'' (I will come back) slogan exuding confidence in BJP's return to power. Khadse, a veteran politician was denied an Assembly ticket as well as a berth in the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Stressing that he has been a BJP loyalist since the last 40 years, Khadse alleged that several party workers are angry over the injustice meted out to him.

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Eknath Khadse remarked, "When BJP-Shiv Sena contested the 2014 state assembly elections separately, our efforts helped the party (BJP) come close to an absolute majority. However, those who came into politics in the last 15 years are now trying to teach us. People certainly did not like the assertion of 'I will come back'".

He added, "Several party workers and leaders are disappointed and angry over the injustice meted out to me. I think their feelings can explode anytime. I have been a staunch supporter and loyalist of the BJP since the last 40 years."

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'Naive hope' 

Additionally, Khadse downplayed BJP's chances of forming the government in Maharashtra for the foreseeable future. He admitted that his party does not have enough numbers to stake a claim for government formation. According to him, an entire party needed to merge with BJP for coming back to power.

"The party does not have enough numbers to stake claim for government formation in Maharashtra. A small defection will not work, but an entire party should merge into the BJP. Only then it is possible for our party to come to power in the state. I think it is a naive hope at this moment," he opined.

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Maharashtra government formation

The BJP-Shiv Sena combine secured a comfortable majority in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections. However, they were unable to form the government as the BJP refused to accept Shiv Sena's demand of the rotational CM. As per Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP leadership had given a promise in this regard, a claim which was subsequently refuted by Amit Shah and Devendra Fadnavis. Thereafter, Shiv Sena joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the MVA government on November 28, 2019, under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray. 

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(With PTI inputs)