Ex-Congress Leader Ashok Chavan To Begin His New Journey By Joining BJP Today

A day after quitting the Congress, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan will join the BJP today.

Announcing the news, Chavan said, "Today around 12-12:30, I am going to start a new journey of my political career, I am going to join BJP..."

He further said, "Today it's a new beginning of my political career. I am formally joining the BJP in their office today...I am hopeful that we will work for the constructive development of Maharashtra."

The 65-year-old leader formally announced on Monday that he is quitting the Congress. In a letter to state Congress president Nana Patole, he said he was resigning as a primary member of the grand old party. He also submitted his resignation as an MLA to Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

After sending his resignation, he said, "I am not going to discuss anything happening in the Congress party on a public forum. I have submitted my resignation to the assembly speaker and have also resigned from the primary membership of the Congress."

"I am not a person who would discuss the party's internal matters publicly. I have not spoken to any Congress MLA about my decision. I have no such intention (influencing them)," he said.

He also denied the claims that he quit the Congress after the white paper was tabled in Parliament.

The white paper has mentioned the Adarsh Building scam, pertaining to a housing society in Mumbai, due to which Chavan had to step down as the chief minister of Maharashtra in 2010.

Chavan's exit from Congress comes days after senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Baba Siddique and Milind Deora quit the party.

On former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan quitting Congress, NCP leader Baba Siddique says, "Ashok Chavan called me and I told him that we are going to meet soon in the way ahead. More people are going to leave because when a person feels suffocated, he tries to find a way. It is a wake-up call for Congress but I don't think they are going to wake up. They live in La la's land, they are living in illusion...There must be a reason why people are leaving Congress..."