Maharashtra: Ashok Chavan joins BJP, eyes Rajya Sabha seat

Ashok Chavan joined the BJP in presence of DCM Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

A day after quitting the Congress party, the former chief minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday. The haste shown in admitting the leader indicated that he would most likely be one of the BJP's candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls in which the state has six vacancies to fill.

Amid chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram', the state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule inducted Chavan and his supporter, ex-MLC Amar Rajurkar at party headquarters in Mumbai. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and a host of BJP leaders welcomed the two-time CM, who left the Congress after 38 years on Monday.

Expectedly, Chavan heaped praises on PM Narendra Modi for being the country's Vikas Purush. "It's a new beginning for me after 38 years. I want to contribute positively to the country's development under Modiji's leadership. I will abide by the policy and directives of the BJP. I worked with honesty in the Congress and I will do so for the BJP's political success," he told the media conference that followed his induction.

Chavan said that he had always enjoyed cordial relations across party lines. "I'm accused of being mild (when it comes to criticising political opponents), but then I have always followed the ‘maryada' (of healthy politics outside the house). When asked about his exit causing a split in the Congress in days to come, he said he had not invited others in the Congress to join him. "However, it is up to Devendra Fadnavis and other senior leaders to see what can be done about it (many more willing to join the BJP)."

Fadnavis said it was true that several leaders from the opposition parties desired to join the BJP. "Especially, the Congress has not been able to set its house in order. The party workers have no idea about the leadership's approach. When the Congress leadership ends up opposing the country's progress in the garb of opposing the BJP, the seasoned leaders join the mainstream like the BJP. The Congress leadership should introspect (instead of blaming the BJP for exodus)," added the DCM.

Chavan's slip of tongue draws laughter

Ashok Chavan committed a gaffe when he mistakenly referred to Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar as the Congress's city unit president during his joining speech at the saffron party's state headquarters on Tuesday. The room filled with laughter before Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stepped in to rectify the error. Chavan, in a moment of chagrin, acknowledged the mistake, attributing it to his long-standing allegiance to the Congress party. Regaining his composure, he remarked, "It's a slip of the tongue. This marks my inaugural day at the BJP headquarters, and I request you to excuse me," eliciting a chorus of chuckles from the audience.

38
No of years Chavan was with Congress