Nagpur News.
Former Congress MP Datta Meghe and his two sons, Sagar and Sameer, are set to join BJP on Saturday (July 5) with much fanfare in the presence of Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Surface Transport and Shipping. A grand Sammelan (Gathering) has been organized at 4.30 pm at Sports Complex in Sawangi Meghe in Wardha District for the occasion and also as show of strength. State BJP President Devendra Fadnavis will also be present in the ceremony. Thousands of supporters of Meghe family are also joining BJP along with the Meghe family.
All the three leaders had quit Congress shortly after the Lok Sabha elections. Datta Meghe’s son Sagar had contested the Lok Sabha poll from Wardha constituency on a Congress ticket but lost it to BJP candidate. Since then the Meghe family was sulking and had blamed Congress leadership the defeat and sidelining them in the party affairs.
Others who will be present at the programme include Rajyasabha MP Ajay Sancheti, Chandrapur MP Hansraj Ahir, Wardha MP Ramdas Tadas, Gadchiroli MP Ashok Nete, Akola MP Ashok Dhotre, Gondia-Bhandara MP Nana Patole. All these MPs will also be felicitated on the occasion.
The Meghes run a huge education empire with a medical college, engineering colleges and scores of schools spread all over the state. The senior Meghe was last elected to the Lok Sabha from Wardha on a Congress ticket in 2009, soon after he moved to that party from the NCP. For nearly three decades before that he was very close to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and was showered with several favours, like nomination for MLC post over several terms since 1978. He enjoyed power without a break for over three decades as members of legislative council, three terms as member of Parliament from Nagpur (1991), Ramtek (1996) and Wardha (1998), and then again as an MLC and finally a term in the Rajya Sabha.
