Even as speculation intensified on Friday regarding the fate of revenue minister Eknath Khadse amidst a host of allegations against him, the man in question was missing in action.
Even as speculation intensified on Friday regarding the fate of revenue minister Eknath Khadse amidst a host of allegations against him, the man in question was missing in action. Mr Khadse chose not to make any public appearance and remained at an undisclosed location.
Mr Khadse, however, tweeted in the evening terming all allegations against him “baseless” and appealed to the media to let him work. Earlier on Thursday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis gave a report on Mr Khadse to the party high command.
State BJP president Raosaheb Danve on Friday said this report could be in favour of the minister. The leadership in Maharashtra refrained from making further comments.
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, who was in town on Friday, refused to comment on Mr Khadse. Sources in the party said Mr Gadkari had spoken to Mr Khadse over the phone, but this could not be confirmed from either minister. Mr Khadse remained incommunicado throughout the day.
Media persons who had chased Mr Khadse to his hometown in Muktainagar, Jalgaon, were unable to locate him. They were also unable to obtain any details about his whereabouts. However, a close aide of Mr Khadse said he was in Muktainagar itself.
Though there were rumours that Mr Khadse had gone to RSS headquarters in Nagpur, it was later found to be untrue.
Besides a few posters that showed Mr Khadse paying tribute to late BJP leader Gopinath Munde on his second death anniversary on Friday, the minister remained untraceable in Mumbai too.
Mr Khadse’s tweet to the media asking them to let him work read, “As a respectable agriculture minister, I am focusing on farmers’ issues. Allow me to do so, instead of clarifying baseless and planned allegations. An appeal to media,” he said, hinting the allegations against him were connived. Sources close to Mr Khadse said the minister had rivals in the party itself, who were attacking him.
In Mumbai, social activist Anjali Damania continued her indefinite fast in protest against Mr Khadse on the second day. She said that the fast would continue till she got the letter of inquiry against him.
