Ashok Chavan Joins BJP Day After Quitting Congress, Likely To Get Rajya Sabha Seat

Days after quitting the Congress, Ashok Chavan joined the BJP and is likely to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

Days after quitting the Congress, Ashok Chavan joined the BJP and is likely to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. ( Image Source :X:BJP )

A day after quitting Congress, former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan on Tuesday joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mumbai. Chavan is the third major political figure to leave the Congress in Maharashtra, after former South Mumbai MP Milind Deora and former MLA Baba Siddique. 

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— भाजपा महाराष्ट्र (@BJP4Maharashtra) February 13, 2024

Earlier today, while informing media about his decision to join BJP, former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan said: "Today it's a new beginning of my political career. I am formally joining the BJP in their office today...I am hopeful that we will work for the constructive development of Maharashtra."

#WATCH | Mumbai: Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan says, "Today it's a new beginning of my political career. I am formally joining the BJP in their office today...I am hopeful that we will work for the constructive development of Maharashtra." pic.twitter.com/tU9PqiV5js

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024

There are strong suggestions that Ashok Chavan will be offered a Rajya Sabha seat by BJP. It is believed that BJP will be releasing its Rajya Sabha members list by today evening or tomorrow morning. Sources claimed that a meeting to discuss the Rajya Sabha seats will be held at the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar today. According to the sources, the names of Chhagan Bhujbal, Sameer Bhujbal and Parth Pawar are at the forefront for Rajya Sabha. 

Ashok Chavan was speculated to be joining the BJP. Chavan stated after quitting Congress that he will make a decision on his political future within 48 hours.

Who Is Ashok Chavan? 

Ashok Chavan, the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan, exerts enormous influence in the Nanded district.

Ashok Chavan has had an active political career thus far. He began as a student activist in college and rose through the ranks of the Congress to become the Maharashtra Congress head and a member of the Congress Working Committee. He has been an MP from Nanded thrice and a member of both Houses of the state legislature.

After serving as a state minister, he was appointed Chief Minister after Vilasrao Deshmukh resigned following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Following the 2009 state elections, the Congress kept him in the top position. However, Mr Chavan's tenure was cut short when he was forced to resign due to corruption charges surrounding the Adarsh Housing Society fraud.