Day after leaving Congress, Ashok Chavan set to join BJP

In a notable political development, former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, who resigned from the Congress a day earlier, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday in the presence of Devendra Fadnavis.

Addressing reporters, Chavan announced his decision, stating, "Today around 12-12:30, I am going to start a new journey of my political career; I am going to join BJP."

Ashok Chavan becomes the third prominent figure to depart from the Congress in Maharashtra, following the exits of former South Mumbai MP Milind Deora and former MLA Baba Siddique.

Expressing his departure from the Congress, Chavan emphasized, "I have quit the Congress Party, as an MLA and from all other party posts today… I have broken all my involvement with the party. I have no complaints, and till yesterday, I worked honestly for the party," reflecting his decision to sever all ties with the grand old party.

Speculations had been rife regarding Ashok Chavan's potential move to the BJP, and, following his exit from the Congress, he had mentioned that he would decide his political path within the next 48 hours. This move marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Maharashtra, with the former chief minister transitioning to a new phase in his political journey within the BJP fold.