Exclusive | Lok Sabha elections 2024: My entry into BJP approved, says Eknath Khadse

Eknath Khadse addressing supporters at his residence in Muktainagar. Pic/Ashish Raje

With Eknath Khadse's daughter, Advocate Rohini Khadse, in the NCP Sharad Pawar faction organising and hosting a huge Pawar rally in her hometown while promising to get a lead against sister-in-law and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Raver, Raksha Khadse, Eknath has gotten active, campaigning for his daughter-in-law. He is a sitting NCP MLC, but has started organising and attending meetings at BJP offices, adding to the confusion. Sitting with his core supporters and strategising at his farmhouse in Muktainagar, the 71-year-old veteran politician speaks with mid-day and clears the air.

Excerpts from the interview…

You are still an NCP MLC but are now joining the BJP again?
My entry into BJP has already been approved by BJP chief Chandrakant Bawankule. It will be formally announced in the next five to six days. So there is no doubt that there is complete clarity on the issue.

You are yet to formally join the BJP and have started campaigning, but have not resigned as NCP MLC. There is confusion among people...
To respond to statements of BJP leader Girish Mahajan on how I am visiting BJP offices when I am not even in the party, let me clarify that I have not visited the offices on my own. After I announced the decision, BJP party workers were excited. They called me and I went to meet them. Anyone can visit the BJP office for that matter.

Eknath Khadse at his residence in Muktainagar. Pic/Ashish Raje

What will you say to people who are demanding your resignation as MLC?
Sharad Pawar had earlier made it clear that he would not take things once given, like my MLC-ship back. So it remains ample clear… and if he is not asking about it, who are the others to raise this question? It is solely a question between me and Sharad Pawarji. Tomorrow, if he tells me that now things have changed and requests me, I will respect his word and follow instructions. Others have no business to talk about it.

Sharad Pawar personally came down to your hometown Muktainagar to campaign for the NCP (SP) candidate against Raksha Khadse...
Yes. They had a huge rally. But even after the huge rally at Muktainagar, everyone demanded that Sharad Pawar should ask for my resignation as NCP MLC. But neither Pawar-sir nor Jayant Patil made any statement on it.

You and your daughter-in-law are with the BJP. But your daughter Rohini remains aligned with the NCP. She successfully hosted one of the biggest rallies of Sharad Pawar in the family hometown Muktainagar. What do you say?
My daughter is an independent lady with independent thoughts. Also, remember that she has an independent family. She is married, has children and her own family. Like her, I too respect Sharad Pawar-ji. But I had to leave that party due to some internal differences and disputes. My daughter has expressed her desire to stay aligned with Sharad Pawar. I cannot stop her as she has to fight for the legislative assembly seat in the future in state elections. I cannot give her a ticket for this assembly seat here as this constituency is with the alliance, not the BJP. She wants to fight the elections from here. Last time, she had lost with a small margin of 1,800 votes. In that period, the existing MLA won the seat due to the support of the NCP. She thinks that if she stays aligned with the NCP, she will win the elections and rightly so, as Sharad Pawar and Jayant Patil have announced her name for the assembly seat on multiple occasions. She is the district president of the women's wing, has a good bonding with Sharad Pawarji and his daughter Supriya and hence wants to stay aligned to the NCP.

What has been your advice to Rohini?
I keep telling her that in life, everyone gets an opportunity. However, she does not agree and wishes to stay aligned with the NCP.

How has politics changed over the years and what do you think makes a senior politician like you run from party to party?
I have been in politics for 40-42 years. Earlier, things were simple. The Opposition and fight were over thoughts, ideologies and policies. Now, in the last ten years or so and the earlier 39 years, there has been a difference. We used to fight and be opponents, but then also sit together, chat and have tea and lunch together over a laugh. Things have now gotten worse and the standard of politics has been taken to a new low by all political parties, not anyone in particular. Now, political opposition is equivalent to rivalry and an opponent is considered as an enemy.