Maharashtra: Ashok Chavan Joins BJP Day After Quitting Congress

MUMBAI: Former chief minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan, on Tuesday officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a day after he quit Congress.

The prominent figure for the Congress in the politically-significant state, the former MP was greeted into the BJP by Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and state party leader Chandrashekhar Bawankul.

According to reports, Chavan will be filing nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election on Wednesday.

The former CM on Monday informed the media of his intention to take a decision for his political future within the next few days. However, this morning, he declared his new political journey with the BJP.

"I have resigned from the Assembly membership as an MLA. I have given my resignation to the Speaker. I have resigned from the Congress Working Committee and the Congress primary membership," Chavan said.

Ashok Chavan’s exit from the party is yet another blow to the Maharashtra Congress month before the state polls and general election.

Earlier, leader Milind Deora quit the party to align with Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, while Baba Siddique also parted ways and moved to the Ajit-Pawar-led NCP.

According to reports, more MLAs and office bearers of the Maharashtra Congress are expected to follow the suit.

Ashok Chavan held the position of Chief Minister of Maharashtra from December 8, 2008, to November 9, 2010. However, on November 9, 2010, the Congress Party requested his resignation from office amid corruption allegations connected to the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

He was accused of being involved in construction of a 31-storey upscale building in south Mumbai on land owned by the Defence Ministry, without getting the necessary permissions and clearances.

Speculation suggests that the mention of the Adarsh Building scam in the white paper presented in Parliament last week could have played a role in his departure from the grand old party.

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