Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan resigns from Congress

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan resigned from the Congress party's primary membership on Monday.

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 has submitted his resignation to Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole.

He served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra state from 8 December 2008 to 9 November 2010.

In November 2010, the Congress Party asked him to resign from office over corruption allegations relating to the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

In the 2014 general elections, Chavan was elected from the Nanded constituency but lost the seat in 2019 Pratap Patil Chikhalikar of the BJP Chavan comes from an influential political family.

He is the son of Shankarrao Chavan, a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Union Home Minister.

When questioned if Chavan was going to join the BJP, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis gave a cryptic reply. "Several tall leaders of other parties want to join the BJP. Especially, several Congress leaders are in touch with us because of the behaviour of the senior leaders. They are feeling suffocated in their party...Who all are in our contact that will be revealed soon. Aage aage dekhiye hota hain kya".

Chavan who represents Bhokar, Nanded as an MLA was reported to have severe differences with state party chief Nana Patole.

(With ANI inputs)