BJP leadership to decide on Khadse's reinduction after Ganesh festival: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis discusses reinducting NCP (CP) leader into BJP and benefits of increased customs duty on oils

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. File | Photo Credit: PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday (September 14, 2024) that a decision on reinducting Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) leader Eknath Khadse into the BJP will be taken by the party's central leadership after the ongoing Ganesh festival.

He also said that farmers will hugely benefit from the Centre's decision to increase the customs duty on crude and refined sunflower and soybean oils.

Talking to reporters at the Nagpur airport while answering a query on Mr. Khadse's possible return to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. Fadnavis said, "Whatever decision the BJP's central leadership takes will be accepted. We will hold talks with the party leadership, and a decision will be made after the ongoing Ganesh festival."

Speculation about Mr. Khadse, a former BJP leader currently with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, returning to the saffron party intensified after the BJP renominated his daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse as Lok Sabha candidate and made her a Union Minister of State after she won.

But there has been no announcement from the BJP yet on his reinduction, despite Mr. Khadse expressing willingness earlier this year.

Speaking to a regional news channel earlier this week, Mr. Khadse said, "I was not keen on returning to the BJP fold, but senior leaders of the party insisted on it. When I met BJP president J. P. Nadda, he felicitated me with a scarf and declared that I had become part of the BJP." Mr. Khadse joined the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in October 2020 after quitting the BJP. He had then accused Mr. Fadnavis of trying to destroy his political career.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Fadnavis welcomed the hike in basic customs duty on the crude and refined sunflower and soybean oils.

The Government increased the basic customs duty on crude palm, soybean, and sunflower seed oil from nil to 20% and the basic customs duty on refined palm, soybean, and sunflower oil from 12.5% to 32.5% on Friday (September 13, 2024).

It also cut the duty on onion export to 20% from 40%, which was in place since May 4.

"The Modi government has taken very important decisions so that farmers get good price for their produce. Farmers will hugely benefit from these moves," he said.

"Earlier, a crisis had emerged on the issue of onions. But the government's decision to slash export duty on onion will prove to be hugely beneficial to the growers of this crop. All these decisions will benefit soybean, onion and Basmati rice farmers and it will indirectly benefit cotton growers as well," he said.

Hailing the renaming of Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram, Mr. Fadnavis said the symbols of slavery should be removed.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (September 13, 2024) announced that Port Blair, the capital city of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has been renamed Sri Vijaya Puram.