Nagpur: Suspended Congress leader Dr Ashish Deshmukh’s meeting with BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday had fuelled speculations whether the former was on his way to rejoin his old party.
Dismissing speculations of rejoining the saffron party, Deshmukh said he discussed development issues of the city and funds released for the District Council and Development Council (DPDC).
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29 May 2025
“I will stay with the Congress till the end. Even though I was suspended, there was no action from the party’s high command after I submitted my elaborate reply on the charges made against me. It’s been over 15 days but nothing has come from them,” Deshmukh told a newspaper.
Quoting examples of former Guardian Minister Satish Chaturvedi and Gajju Yadav from Ramtek, Deshmukh predicted that the high command would not initiate action against him.
“Even both these seniors were suspended for anti-party activities. However, their suspensions were revoked, and both were later taken back. I think the same would happen with me and therefore, there is no question of leaving the Congress. Moreover, I left BJP as an MLA in 2018 and fought against the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from his bastion, the South West constituency, where I had reduced his victory margin,” said Deshmukh.
Notably, the ex-Katol MLA met Bawankule at his residence in Koradi on Monday morning. Both had a conversation over breakfast for about 45 minutes behind closed doors. It was not known what really transpired between the two.
Denying any political discussion, Bawankule said Deshmukh came to meet him regarding various developmental works in the city. “He made a request for some work from former Guardian Minister Nitin Raut. As those were not done, he had requested me for help in this regard,” he said.
