Defiant Eknath Khadse changes stance amid mounting pressure

As part of the increasing pressure on revenue minister Eknath Khadse to resign from the state Cabinet, social worker Anna Hazare has now threatened to launch an indefinite agitation, till Khadse is removed from the post. The Congress has also demanded his sacking, instead of a resignation.

After being in the eye of storm over various allegations against him, such as an alleged land scam and conversations with underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim, Khadse has chosen to remain in Muktainagar for the last three days. He even skipped the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Interestingly, a defiant Khadse has maintained that he will not resign just on the basis of allegations levelled against him. He even dared his detractors to approach the police or other agencies with some concrete evidence.

But on Thursday, Khadse seemed visibly docile. When chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met party president Amit Shah in New Delhi, Khadse changed his stance and said he will abide by the party decision.

Meanwhile Hazare, who was apprised of the allegations against Khadse by Anjali Damania, said on Wednesday that he will study the documents given to him by Damania and then take a call on the matter. On Thursday, Hazare urged the government to launch an agitation for Khadse's resignation.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, has gone a step further and demanded sacking of Khadse, instead of asking him to resign. Meanwhile, none of the spokespersons were ready to speak regarding Khadse on record.

'Sena mustn't interfere in BJP's affairs'

After Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut gave a statement expressing the need for Khadse's resignation, BJP state unit chief spokesperson Madhav Bhandari issued a written press statement saying there was no need for Sena to interfere in BJP's affairs. The statement said BJP was capable of handling its internal matters and Sena should not lend any advice to the party. Bhandari has said that BJP leadership was capable of taking a decision and the state unit president has already made it clear that it stands by Khadse.