With hopes of political comeback dimming, ex-minister goes home.
With hopes of political comeback dimming, ex-minister goes home.
With hopes of a Cabinet comeback getting dimmer, former revenue minister Eknath Khadse has finally vacated his official residence, Ramtek bungalow, and moved to his hometown, Jalgaon.
Ramtek had been allotted to Mr Khadse after he became revenue minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in 2014. However, following allegations of his involvement in the Pune land scam, he resigned from the Cabinet on June 4 this year. But he stayed put at Ramtek for the past three months.
Even as the OBC leader from north Maharashtra nursed hopes of making a comeback in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet, claiming that the charges against him were unsubstantiated, the Dinkar Zoting Committee, constituted to probe allegations against him, failed to complete inquiry in the stipulated time and was given an extension.
With his fate hanging in balance, the senior BJP leader decided to vacate his official residence. Speaking to The Asian Age, he said that he had decided to move out as the three-month possession period was over. Asked whether rental dues for the bungalow had been paid, he kept mum. “Get this information from the state general administration department,” he said.
Meanwhile, an RTI query filed by activist Anil Galgali has revealed that Mr Khadse was staying in Ramtek without the state government’s permission after he resigned as the revenue minister. In response to Mr Galgali’s query, the state government made it clear that Mr Khadse was not given an extension for stay in the bungalow.
According to government rules, a leader, upon ceasing to be a minister, has to vacate the allotted bungalow within 15 days. He can occupy the bungalow for a further three months after seeking permission from the government. But in such a case where the government permits extension of stay, he has to pay a monthly rent of Rs 25 per sq ft and pay extra for other services provided in the bungalow.
