Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party on Monday. He tendered his resignation to Nana Patole, the president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. In his resignation letter, Chavan also noted his status as a former MLA.
Chavan has a significant political background, having served as an MP in the Lok Sabha and held various positions within the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Committee. He was the Vice President and General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Committee during the period 1986 to 1995. He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for three consecutive terms until May 2014 and served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from December 8, 2008, to November 9, 2010. However, he resigned from office in the wake of corruption allegations related to the Adarsh Housing Society scam.
Despite hailing from a prominent political family, with his father Shankarrao Chavan being a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Union Home Minister, Ashok Chavan has chosen to part ways with the Congress party. His departure follows similar moves by other notable figures in Maharashtra, such as Milind Deora and Baba Siddique.
Speculation arose regarding Chavan’s potential switch to the BJP, but Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis offered a cryptic response, suggesting that several leaders from various parties, including the Congress, are considering joining the BJP due to dissatisfaction within their own ranks. Chavan is the third big name to desert the Congress ship in Maharashtra. First to go was former South Mumbai MP Milind Deora followed by former MLA Baba Siddique.
Chavan, who currently represents Bhokar, Nanded as an MLA, reportedly had strained relations with the state party chief Nana Patole.