Maha revenue minister Eknath Khadse resigns over graft charges

New Delhi, June 4: Beleaguered Eknath Khadse, who is facing twin charges of an illicit land deal and alleged connection with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, on Saturday tendered his resignation from the State Cabinet.

Reportedly, Khadse met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and put in his papers from nearly a dozen major portfolios that he was handling, including the revenue and minorities departments.

The development has taken place a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah seperately over the issue. Fadnavis had also submitted a report to Shah on the charges against Khadse.

Sources in the BJP said that party leadership is of the view that Khadse should resign from his post untill he is proved innocent.

"This matter has come at a time when Modi government is celebrating its two year in office and claiming to have given corruption-free government. Under such circumstances, if Khadse doesn't resign it will send a wrong message among the people," a BJP leader told on the conditions of anonymity.

"The party is under moral pressure to ask for Khadse's resignation," he added.

Khadse, one of the most senior ministers in Maharashtra government, was mired in a fresh controversy this week as a Pune-based businessman accused him, his wife and son-in-law of various irregularities in the purchase of a piece of land.

Meanwhile, Congress has said that resignation is not enough and action must be taken against the leader.

OneIndia news

(With inputs from IANS)