Girish Mahajan to be BJP’s OBC face in North Maharashtra

Mahajan (56), who represents the Gujjar community, is a five-term member of the Legislative Assembly representing Jamner constituency in Jalgaon district of North Maharashtra. A grassroot worker who rose from the gram panchayat to become a cabinet minister, Mahajan is known to have provided a helping hand to poor patients across the region.

State BJP chief Raosaheb Danve and other senior party functionaries called Mahajan to party headquarters Monday to discuss a series of programmes to be organised in various parts of Maharashtra. They are planning public health camps across the state.

A senior BJP general secretary said, “Unlike Khadse, who was a senior leader, Mahajan is a ‘karyakarta’ with a low-profile image. He does not have the political shrewdness of Khadse. Mahajan is known for his straightforwardness.

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But what can work for the party is his ability to carry out any task entrusted by the organisation or the government.”
Citing an example, the BJP member said Mahajan proved his mettle by handling the Kumbh Mela held at Nashik, which earned him praise from the state and central leaderships.

Meanwhile, almost 48 hours after his resignation, Khadse appeared to have reconciled to the decision, as elected members and office-bearers from his home district Jalgaon failed to muster enough support. A handful of workers from Kalyan, under the banner of Khadesh Welfare Samiti, raised slogans in front of the BJP headquarters in Mumbai.

But none of the MLAs, MPs or senior office-bearers took to the streets in support of Khadse. The BJP has six MPs and 20 MLAs from North Maharashtra. In Jalgaon district, the Milk Federation or the District Cooperative Bank is controlled by Khadse’s wife Mandakini and daughter Rohini.

His daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse is an MP from the Raver Lok Sabha constituency in North Maharashtra.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Khadse said, “I have appealed to my followers not to resort to resignations or street protests. I have warned that such activities would amount to denting the image of the BJP. I have sternly warned them against any anti-BJP act.”

He, however, reiterated that he did nothing wrong in the land deal, and had nothing to do with the alleged phone calls exchanged with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. “The truth will be out once the investigation is over,” he said.
Jalgaon BJP chief Uday Wagh said, “We came to meet Khadse. But we are not resigning.” Even the 14 corporators who had earlier offered to resign did not do so eventually.