NCP’s Beed leader to defect to BJP

JAYDATTA KSHIRSAGAR alias Anna, a former minister, had charcha over chai with Fadnavis

Just as the state prepares for the winter session to scheduled to begin from next week in Nagpur, the political temperature in Beed is definitely rising.

The word in the political circles is Jaydatta Kshirsagar alias Anna, a former minister of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the number two strong leader had charcha over chai with Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister. Kshirsagar was disappointed with the party leadership since he was sidelined from the Zilla Parishad (ZP) election and his nephew Sandip Kshirsagar has been entrusted the reigns of the party in the district.

Fadnavis was on a tour to Beed and attended several programmes. The high point was his visit to senior Kshirsagar’s residence in the morning which has raised the eyebrows in political circles. The earlier rumour of Jaydutta joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now seems to have gained credence. NCP had promoted Sandip instead of Jaydutta for the ZP polls in Beed, which angered the senior Kshirsagar and he stopped taking interest in the party affairs. Since then the NCP workers believed it was only a matter of time before the senior moves over to the BJP.

Kshirsagar, however, clarified saying Fadnavis only paid a courtesy visit and nothing more should be read into it. The visit also has raised the hackles of Sunil Tatkare, state president of NCP who remarked “It is well within the rights of the Chief Minister to visit any person’s house. We would like to point out, in the last 10 months highest number of farmers, 161, have committed suicides from Beed district. Had the Chief Minister visited the homes of any of the families of these farmers it would have been better”.

Senior Kshirsagar is number two leader from Beed after Dhananjay Munde. He was minister for Public Works Department (State Public Undertaking Units) in the previous CongressNCP led government.

In fact recently, the NCP president Sharad Pawar had called for an urgent meeting after few more names of leaders were seen to to knock the doors of BJP.

Suresh Dhas, former minister, again from Beed is said to have shown interest in BJP. In fact Dhas is expected to only formally announce his move, as he is seen more in BJP than NCP.

is well within the rights of the Chief Minister to visit any person’s house. We would like to point out, in the last 10 months highest number of farmers, 161, have committed suicides from Beed district. Had the Chief Minister visited the homes of any of the families of these farmers it would have been better —Jaydatta Khsirsagar