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Maharashtra: Sulking Eknath Khadse refuses to fight Lok Sabha polls

He tells DNA that he is fed up with dirty politics and doesn't feel the need to contest any upcoming elections

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After Union Minister Sushma Swaraj and Uma Bharati, another senior BJP leader and MLA Eknath Khadse on Friday announced that he will not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha as well as the state Assembly polls.

It is notable that Khadse was forced to resign from the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet in June 2016 on the alleged allegations of a land scam in Pune. The Anti-Corruption Bureau gave a clean-chit to Khadse in the matter. However, he was not reinstated again in the cabinet. He told DNA that he is fed up with dirty politics and doesn't feel the need to contest any upcoming elections.

"I am not at all interested to contest any elections. I have faced several probes related to Pune land issue but there is no iota of proof against me. I had to suffer a lot politically and personally. Due to false and fabricated allegations I lost active and crucial time of my political career," complained Khadse. He also said that this is not only his personal loss but the loss of his region too.

The estranged senior BJP leader said, "I have spent the last 40 years in BJP. I expanded the party and strengthened its network in every nook and corner. We worked for the party very hard. But here I have been deliberately cornered," asked Khadse adding that this time was very painful and invited anguish.

However, sources in the party, attribute the leader's sulk to the ascendance of another leader Minister Girish Mahajan in his region and the party.

"The talk in BJP is that Raksha Khadse may not be given a ticket in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She may be replaced with Sadhana Mahajan, wife of BJP minister Girish Mahajan who is turned out to be the blue-eyed boy of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. That has angered Khadse and his followers," said sources in BJP.

Khadse claimed that he knew the people who were behind to end his political career with false allegations. "Currently, I may be going through the bad phases. But this period will soon get over," quipped Khadse.

Khadse is an OBC leader and has significant influence in the North Maharashtra region and has support in other pockets of the state. He was also the opposition leader for more than a decade. Khadse is batting for the Lok Sabha ticket to his daughter in law and sitting BJP MP Raksha Khadse. In the BJP's internal survey, Raksha Khadse has been shown in the danger zone as far as a possibility to win elections is concerned.

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