Shiv Sena MP Bhausaheb Wakchaure joins Congress

AHMEDNAGAR: Sitting Shiv Sena MP from Shirdi constituency, Bhausaheb Wakchaure today joined Congress at a function in Shrirampur near here.

"I am joining Congress to fulfil the commitments I had made to people on development of this constituency," Wakchaure said even as he thanked Shiv Sena leadership for their support.

Wakchaure had defeated NCP-backed candidate and RPI leader Ramdas Athavale in 2009 elections.

Athavale is now part of the saffron combine, 'Mahayuti'. Interestingly, Wakchaure had quit Congress to join Shiv Sena ahead of last Lok Sabha elections.

He said that he won the 2009 contest due to support by Congress even though he was an official Shiv Sena candidate then.

Top Congress leaders, including Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, state Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, state Congress president Manikrao Thakre, besides NCP leaders attended the public gathering.

Shinde hailed Wakchaure's homecoming, saying he had chosen a wrong path to join Shiv Sena in 2009 due to certain political compulsions. "Wakchaure is a secular leader and his return to Congress will benefit both."

Meanwhile, police detained Shiv Sena district chief Raosaheb Kheware, along with 45 activists, for trying to organise a symbolic funeral procession of the MP.

When contacted, former NDA minister and Shiv Sena MLA from Nashik Babanrao Gholap said Wakchaure's act smacks of political opportunism.

"Wakchaure is a traitor. I am ready to contest from Shirdi seat if asked so by Uddhav Thackeray", Gholap said.