Nowadays several leaders from opposition parties like Congress, NCP are joining BJP. While the party is welcoming their entry, some leaders like Nitin Gadkari, Eknath Khadse and Raosaheb Danve are opposing their entry. Taking a jibe at those leaders joining BJP Eknath Khadse said those leaders are not saints. He added that greed is forcing them to shift loyalties towards BJP. Nitin Gadkari compared those leaders joining BJP to rats and they cannot script history. Opposing the entry of opposition party leaders Raosaheb Danve said that so many leaders need not join BJP and they might oust the existing leaders from the party. Thus, some BJP leaders have objection towards the joining of opposition leaders into the party. Incidentally, the BJP is in midst of an influx of opposition leaders in the run up to the Maharashtra assembly polls likely to be held in October. More than a dozen leaders from Congress and NCP have deserted their respective political parties to join the BJP.
BJP spokesperson Avdhut Wagh said, “Those, indulged in corruption, are joining BJP is news to me. Our national president and chief minister have said that they will induct only leaders with clean image. There is no vacancy for corrupt leaders. Show me one case where we have inducted new leaders in place of existing BJP leaders. When an outfit is formed, there are new and old leaders. New leaders and old leaders should get representation.”
They also leveled corruption allegations against Congress and NCP leaders joining BJP. On the other hand, Congress leaders compared the Fadnavis government to Ali Baba and Forty thieves. BJP has inducted those leaders who made allegations against the Fadnavis government. Congress and NCP leaders asked whether they will be free of corruption after joining BJP.
Nitin Gadkari had stated that when a ship sinks rats are the first to get out of it. In the same manner, Congress and NCP leaders are quitting their own party to join BJP. He said that history will not be written by such opportunists but by those who stick to their ideologies despite facing hardships. Gadkari also said that those leaders quitting their own party should not take short cut route to achieve success and asked them to do self-introspection. He added that leaders should stick to an ideology and avoid party switching like rats jumping from a sinking ship. Gadkari was addressing a gathering at the launch of ‘Political Icons of Vidharba’ a coffee table book organised by Lokmat group. He said, “I feel people in politics must clearly understand the meaning of politics. Politics is not just power politics. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Veer Savarkar did not indulge in power politics.”
Eknath Khadse stated that Fadnavis has washing powder to cleanse those indulging in corruption. He said, those joining BJP are given a clean chit despite being involved in corruption and no action is taken against them.
Raosaheb Danve said that four leaders from opposition party have met BJP leaders. BJP asked them to wait for some time. Danve stated that these leaders might pave way for the ouster of exiting BJP leaders. Thus there is a possibility of existing BJP leaders quitting the outfit to join other parties. This might send wrong message to citizens.
By Parvez Khan
