NAGPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party's member of legislative council Sagar Meghe resigned from the House and the primary membership of the party. Strangely, he handed over both the resignation letters to chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh sending a signal that he was not averse to joining the Congress on the heels of his father, Datta Meghe, who did so 3 days ago.
"On Thursday I met the chief minister in Mumbai and handed over the two resignations, one addressed to the chairman of the Upper House and the other addressed to BJP state president Nitin Gadkari. It was my wish that the resignations be routed through the chief minister, that is why I presented the two letters to him," Sagar said in a written statement without elaborating what prompted that wish to depose faith in a leader who was not from his party. He was accompanied by the new MPCC president Manikrao Thakre.
Meghe quoted two reasons for quitting the BJP. First, he said he was doing it for the sake of his father. The other reason was that he wanted to devote more time to the education empire set up by his father. The senior Meghe was forced to quit the NCP as he fell out with his mentor Sharad Pawar ever since Sagar joined the BJP. "I did not want a similar difficult time for my father in the Congress," stated Sagar citing the immediate provocation. "I did not consult even my father before submitting my resignations lest I would be dissuaded from my intention," said Sagar.
"He called me up this morning and told me about the resignations," said Datta Meghe talking to ToI from New Delhi where he is camping after joining the Congress on Wednesday.
While Meghe did not rule out his son joining the Congress at a later stage, the MPCC president vehemently denied that there were any conditions from the Meghe family. Nevertheless there is a strong speculation that the Meghes had a package deal with the Congress. While the senior Meghe would contest the next Lok Sabha poll from Wardha seat, Sagar may claim ticket from one of the six assembly seats from Nagpur.
In his statement to the press, Sagar has thanked Gadkari and said he can never forget that he became MLC only because of the BJP leader's support. "My decision to quit may hurt him and I apologise for the same," Sagar said adding that he hoped Gadkari would understand his predicament that had to quit the BJP to avert problems for his father.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/Finally_Meghe_junior_quits_BJP_for_fathers_sake/articleshow/3398133.cms
