Former Maharashtra BJP leader Eknath Khadse his daughter Rohini Khadse-Khevalkar and 72 other party workers, who had quit the opposition party on Wednesday, were formally inducted into the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in presence of its founder Sharad Pawar on Friday.
Khadse, his daughter Rohini Khadse-Khevalkar and 72 other party workers at various levels from Jalgaon district were cheered as they joined NCP, amid speculation that many others from the BJP may follow suit.
Thanking the NCP leadership for inducting him into the party fold, Khadse said that he will work hard to strengthen the party founded by Sharad Pawar across the state and elsewhere.
Khadse blamed BJP for not rewarding him for years of his dedication, selfless service and hard work. Khadse went to say that he was ''betrayed'' by the state BJP leaders, in a veiled reference to Devendra Fadnavis, whom his supporters had blamed for sideling him in the party.
“I struggled but never got a dagger in the back. I spent 40 years in the party but never did politics by putting women forward. Jayant Patil once told me that if you come to our party, they will put ED behind me,’’ he said.
He threatened by saying ''if BJP will put ED against me, I will use ‘CD’ against them''. He, however, clarified that he has not joined the party with any expectations.
Welcoming him into the party, state NCP President and minister Jayant Patil said that it was "unfortunate" that such a senior leader was humiliated by the BJP on trumped-up charges despite his contributions to building the party.
"Now, they will realise that 'Tiger Zinda Hai' (Khadse) and ‘picture abhi baaki hai’. His entry will strengthen the NCP," Patil said, in a loaded hint of more to come after Khadse.
Meanwhile, senior NCP leader Prafful Patel also welcomed Khadse into the party.
Reacting to reports about NCP offering him a ministerial berth, party president Sharad Pawar said that nothing has been promised to Khadse. He has joined the party out of his own free will and we welcome him into the party fold, Pawar added.
(With agency inputs)