BJP’s Khadse to move privilege notice against Maharashtra’s industries minister

BJP leader Eknath Khadse, who had to quit as a minister nearly two years back amid a string of charges, including irregularities in a land deal, on Thursday said he would move a breach of privilege notice against Industries Minister Subhash Desai next week. Khadse made the announcement in the state Legislative Assembly.

Accusing Desai, who is from Shiv Sena, of giving false information to the Assembly about the Bhosari MIDC land deal, Khadse sought the Speaker's permission to move the privilege notice against the minister.

Khadse had resigned in June 2016 after he was accused of using his post as Revenue minister to facilitate a land deal in favour of his wife and son-in-law.

The Industries department had claimed ownership of the three-acre plotin Bhosari near Pune, and termed Khadse's purchase illegal. A one-man commission comprising retired justice Dinkar Zoting, which probed the allegations against Khadse, has submitted its report last year.

Khadse said the allegation stuck to him for the last two years and he wanted to give correct facts to the people.

"I want to point out the discrepancies," he said.

Khadse said he had moved a breach of privilege notice against Desai on July 9 last year. "However, I did not get any reply on the issue," he said.

"Therefore, I will again move the notice against him next week, so that I can put forth my stand before the people through the Assembly," the former minister said.