NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse admits visit to Delhi but says he will stay with Sharad Pawar

Eknath Khadse, a former BJP leader, is currently a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP). File | Photo credit: PTI

NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse admitted that he had traveled to Delhi but said he was no longer interested in rejoining the BJP and would stay with Sharad Pawar till the end.

Mr Khadse, a former BJP leader, is currently a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP). Recently, it was reported that BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde visited Mr. Khadse at his residence, fueling speculations about the veteran leader’s return to the saffron party.

During the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, news of Mr Khads’ possible return to the BJP became public after photographs of him meeting senior party leaders in New Delhi surfaced. However, the move did not take place.

“Yes, I went to Delhi. Amit Shah called me and asked me to join the BJP. But senior BJP leaders told me that if I was inducted into the party, the local leaders would not work. They even said that they would ensure that the party loses the Lok Sabha seat if I am taken back,” Mr Khadse claimed in a video released on Saturday (12 July 2611).

“The seniors then told me to continue working for them in the Lok Sabha elections and that they would see each other later. So who exactly is against my entry?” he asked.

Mr Khadse did not specify which seat he was referring to. His daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse is a BJP MP from the Raver Lok Sabha seat in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra and is currently a Union Minister.

Clarifying the speculation created by his recent meeting with Mr. Tawde in Mumbai, Mr. Khadse said that it was only a courtesy call. “He asked about my health and there was no political discussion. I invited him to the birthday party. I also invited Nitin Gadkari and he told me he would attend,” the MLC said.

“I want to make it clear that I am not interested in joining BJP now. I am with Sharad Pawar and I will stay with him till the end. My workers may be interested in joining BJP but I am not,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Minister of State Girish Mahajan dismissed reports claiming that he has stalled Eknath Khadse’s return to the BJP.

“How can I stop Khadse’s entry? He has a direct hotline to Delhi. I am a small man and I don’t even have a hotline to Mumbai. If he got a green signal from the top brass, it is fine. I am not an astrologer, nor am I Sanjay Raut,” quipped Mr Mahajan.

Mr. Mahajan also said he had no information about the possible induction of Eknath Khadse into the BJP, noting that Minister of State Gulabrao Patil (who is a legislator from Mr. Khadse’s hometown Jalgaon) would be better placed to comment on the matter.

Referring to the upcoming birthday celebrations of Eknath Khadse, he said the veteran leader’s status would ensure a grand event, adding that leaders from Delhi were expected to attend and would consider attending if invited.

In a related development, Mr Khadse met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at his ‘Matoshri’ residence on Friday (July 10, 2026), sparking speculation about his political plans.

Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut was also present during the “courtesy meeting”, sources said.

Published – 12 Jul 2026 11:33 IST