National: Former Maharashtra minister and a strong leader of Khandesh region Eknath Khadse on Monday expressed disappointment over being made to wait for formal approval to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Khadse, a strong leader from North Maharashtra, said that a few months ago BJP President JP Nadda had welcomed him into the party. Without naming Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said that due to opposition from some people, a formal public announcement has not been made yet. 

"I feel that in such a situation it is not right to remain in the Bharatiya Janata Party. I will wait for a few more days and then take a decision," 72-year-old Maharashtra politician Eknath Khadse told reporters in Jalgaon. 

He further said, "I am still a member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar and am also its MLA. I had resigned from that party, but Pawar did not accept my resignation and asked me to remain an MLA." 

These allegations were made against Fadnavis 

Khadse left the BJP in October 2020 due to differences with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and the party's North Maharashtra in-charge Girish Mahajan. He joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. After joining the Pawar-led party in 2020, Khadse accused Fadnavis of "trying to destroy his life and political career". 

His hold is strong in this region of Maharashtra 
 
Eknath Khadse belongs to the Other Backward Class Leva-Patil community. He is a resident of Muktainagar in Jalgaon district. He is believed to have influence in the North Maharashtra-Khandesh region. Khadse won the Muktainagar assembly seat six times. His daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse won the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha election from Raver and is now a Union Minister of State.