Expelled from Congress, Ashish Deshmukh is all set to rejoin BJP after 5 years
According to sources within the BJP, Ashish Deshmukh has been eyeing the Katol Assembly seat in Maharashtra and may be fielded against his uncle and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh in the upcoming state polls.
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In the 2019 Assembly election, Ashish Deshmukh had unsuccessfully contested against the then chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, from the Nagpur South West seat. (File photo) Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Maharashtra, former Congress leader Ashish Deshmukh is all set to rejoin the BJP after almost five years on June 18, the saffron party announced on Thursday.
Deshmukh is the son of former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ranjit Deshmukh. Ahead of the 2014 election, Ashish Deshmukh had joined the BJP. He had contested from Katol against his uncle and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh and had won the Assembly seat. But in 2018, following differences with party leaders, he quit the BJP. He had also sat on a hunger strike to demand a separate statehood for Vidarbha.
In the 2019 Assembly election, Ashish Deshmukh had unsuccessfully contested against the then chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, from the Nagpur South West seat.
The state Congress had expelled Deshmukh for six years in May this year for criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole. Deshmukh had said Gandhi should apologise to OBCs for his controversial remarks on the “Modi” surname.
Known for his outspokenness, Deshmukh had demanded Patole’s ouster. He had alleged that Patole was responsible for the decline of Congress in Maharashtra. The party’s disciplinary committee expelled him after he sent an unsatisfactory reply to the showcase notice served to him.
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said Ashish Deshmukh will rejoin BJP in the presence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and himself.
According to Bawankule, “Ashish Deshmukh has not sought any ticket for Lok Sabha or Assembly polls. He has expressed his willingness to work in the organisation. However, based on his merit, the party will decide whether to give him a ticket or not.”
The BJP is looking for a strong candidate in Katol Assembly constituency. Indications are that Ashish Deshmukh could be fielded against Anil Deshmukh who is a veteran from Katol.
In 2021, Anil Deshmukh, the former home minister, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and jailed for alleged corruption. Ashish Deshmukh has set his eyes on the Katol constituency and has been working to increase his network in the seat.
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