Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan quits Congress, may join BJP ahead of LS polls

In a big blow to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan resigned from party. He was reportedly unhappy with the party and is expected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Chavan has been upset with the party high command for some time now. Firstly, he was denied the position of state president and now he has been denied a Rajya Sabha nomination. However, he was requested to contest from Naded Lok Sabha seat, which he denied," sources told MoneyControl.

In a letter to state Congress president Nana Patole, Chavan (65) said he was resigning as a primary member of the  party. He also submitted his resignation as an MLA to Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

"I am not going to discuss anything happening in the Congress party on a public forum. I have submitted my resignation to the assembly speaker and have also resigned from the primary membership of the Congress." Asked about his next political move, the former CM said he will decide on it in the next two days.

To a query on if he would join the BJP, Chavan told PTI, "I haven’t taken any decision yet on joining the BJP, don’t know BJP’s working system. I have not communicated with any political party regarding my next move."

Chavan served as the CM from December 2008 to November 2010. Chavan is said to have met Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar in Mumbai on February 12 before submitting his resignation.

The development came days after former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP. In January 2024, Milind Deora announced his resignation from the Congress, bringing an end to his family's 55-year association with the party. Deora later joined the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena.

According to reports,  Chavan is likely get a BJP ticket to contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

In response to a media query on reports of Chavan joining the BJP, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said many leaders want to join BJP. "Many Congress leaders are in touch with us because they feel suffocated in their party," he said. "I heard about Ashok Chavan from the media. But the only thing I can say now is that several good leaders from Congress are in touch with the BJP. Those leaders who are connected with the masses are feeling suffocated in Congress. I am confident that some big faces will join Congress."

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said he cannot believe Chavan can join the BJP. "Ashok Chavan became a BJP member. I can't believe it. Till yesterday they were together...were discussing...gone today. Like Eknath Mindhe and Ajit Pawar, will Chavan also claim the Congress now and get a hand sign?
And will the Election Commission give it to them? Anything can happen in our country!," he wrote on X.

Infighting

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said there is discord in the state unit of the Congress. "Ashok Chavan has resigned, and there are internal fights in Congress. There is no leader, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is abusing the OBC community, that is why no one wants to stay with them, and that is why people are leaving. Yes, if anyone wants to join BJP then they are welcome," Bawankule told the media.

Chavan, who is the Son of former Maharashtra CM Shankarrao Chavan,  is said to have a significant influence in the Nanded region. Chavan had succeeded Vilasrao Deshmukh as Maharashtra Chief Minister in December 2008. However, Chavan was forced to resign in November 2010 in the wake of the Adarsh housing scam.

Chavan was also the president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) from 2014 to 2019.