Ashok Chavan quits Congress party, betrayers calls Jairam Ramesh

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who quit the Congress on Monday, said he has not taken any decision yet on joining the ruling BJP and will decide on his next political move in a couple of days.

In a letter to state Congress president Nana Patole, Chavan (65) 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.

Speaking to reporters today here, Chavan 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."

Asked about his next political move, the former CM said he will decide on it in the next two days.

"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.

To a query on if he would join the BJP, Chavan said, "I haven’t taken any decision yet on joining the BJP, don’t know BJP’s working system."

"I have not communicated with any political party regarding my next move," he said.

He also said his decision to quit the Congress is a personal one and he does not want to ascribe any reason to it.

Chavan also refuted the claims that the white paper tabled in Parliament prompted him to resign from Congress.

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.

Amid the buzz that Chavan will join the BJP, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters, “Aagey aagey dekho hota hai kya (wait and watch what happens).”

"These Betrayers" says Jairam Ramesh

"Betrayers" don't realise their exit opens up vast new opportunities for those whose growth they have always stunted, the Congress said on Monday as former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan quit the party amid speculation that he is veering towards the BJP.

In a setback to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Chavan wrote to state party president Nana Patole to say he was resigning as a primary member of the grand old party. The 65-year-old also submitted his resignation as an MLA to assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

"When friends and colleagues leave a political party that has given them much -- perhaps much more they deserved -- it is always a matter of anguish," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said without naming Chavan.

"But to those who are vulnerable, THAT Washing Machine will always prove more attractive than ideological commitment or personal loyalties," he said in a post on X.

"These betrayers don't realise that their exit opens up vast new opportunities to those whose growth they have always stunted," Ramesh said.

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

Chavan hails from Nanded district in Marathwada region. His father, the late Shankarrao Chavan, was also the chief minister of Maharashtra. Ashok Chavan stepped down as chief minister in 2010 for his alleged involvement in Adarsh housing scam in Mumbai. He was also state Congress chief during 2014-19.