Ashok Chavan’s brother-in-law and BJP MP Khatgaonkar joins Congress

MUMBAI: In a setback for former chief minister Ashok Chavan, his brother-in-law and former Nanded MP Bhaskar Khatgaonkar joined the Congress on Friday. A three-term former MLA and three-term former MP, Khatgaonkar was in the BJP. His induction will strengthen the Congress, as Nanded district is considered his stronghold.
Chavan had left the Congress to join the BJP just before the Lok Sabha elections. It was believed that he would take many leaders and MLAs along with him but that did not happen. On the contrary, the Congress won the Nanded Lok Sabha seat against BJP candidate and sitting MP Prataprao Chikhlikar. Its candidate Vasant Chavan won the seat with a margin of close to 60,000 votes.
Khatgaonkar joining the Congress is being seen as another jolt to Chavan, as Nanded district was considered his bastion. “With Khatgaonkar’s induction, the Congress has become stronger than ever in Nanded. We have planned a grand public event for his induction in Nanded,” said state Congress chief Nana Patole.
Khatgaonkar joined the party along with former MLA Omprakash Pokarna and former zilla parishad president Meenal Khatgaonkar. Pokarna is considered an Ashok Chavan loyalist. Interestingly, former minister D P Sawant, who is also considered a close aide of Chavan, was present during the event.
“I have returned to my home, as the Congress allowed me to work as MLA, MP and minister of state,” Khatgaonkar told reporters. “Due to some reason, I got upset and joined the BJP in the past. I will now work for the Congress to win the maximum seats in the MVA coalition.”
The newly elected Congress MP Vasant Chavan died due to renal failure on August 26 and the bypoll for the seat is set to be declared by the Election Commission of India. Khatgaonkar’s induction is being seen as a boost to the Congress, which is looking to win the Nanded seat once again.
When asked about Ashok Chavan, Patole, without naming him, said that the BJP would have won the Nanded Lok Sabha seat if “that BJP leader” was so strong in the locality.
Last Thursday, Khatgaonkar held a meeting of his supporters along with his daughter-in-law Meenal and declared that he was joining the Congress.