Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on February 13 said he will be joining the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
"I am joining the BJP today at its office in Mumbai. Today is the beginning of my new political career," Mr. Chavan, who quit the Congress on February 12, told reporters.
Asked if he received any calls from senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Chavan evaded a reply.
The former CM, however, maintained that he has not contacted any Congress worker or his supporters to join him during his induction into the BJP.
"I will be officially joining the BJP at its office in Mumbai. There will be some leaders along with me there. There will be Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar among others," he said.
Ashok Chavan (65), son of former CM S.B. Chavan, on February 12 underscored that his choice to depart from Congress was independent and refrained from attributing specific reasons for his exit.
His exit from the Congress came days after senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Baba Siddique and Milind Deora quit the party.
Ashok Chavan hails from Nanded district in the Marathwada region. He was also the State Congress chief during 2014-19.
He represented the Bhokar Assembly seat and is also the former MP from the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency.
