Facing a host of allegations, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse today said he has not received any directive from the BJP central leadership on the charges against him which he dubbed as "baseless".
A day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah over the issue, fuelling speculation he is on his way out, the senior leader told a television channel he was not given any directive by the leadership but asserted he would abide by its decision.
"I have not received any directive from the party. I am a loyal BJP worker and will act according to any directive coming from the party," he said.
Asked about his whereabouts -- which has given rise to speculation that he is sulking -- Khadse said, "I am in the country and Maharashtra. I am at present working on proposals to deal with drought situation if the monsoon is delayed."
He maintained he was ready to face punishment if found guilty of wrongdoing.
"But what is happening at present is only baseless allegations without any proof. Astronomical figures are being spoken of in the transactions involving me. Time will tell who is behind this making me a target," he said, adding it had taken him four decades of hard work to build a political career which his detractors were seeking to destroy.
Khadse, a senior BJP leader and considered "number two" in the Cabinet, is facing heat over a host of allegations including irregularities in a land deal in Pune and calls allegedly received from mob boss Dawood Ibrahim's residence in Karachi on his mobile phone.
He is in a spot over the purchase of a three-acre Maharashtra Industrial Development Corp land in Pune allegedly at a low price of around Rs 3.75 crore from its original owner in the name of his wife and son-in-law. The market value of the land is reportedly Rs 40 crore.
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Fadnavis had met Modi and Shah in Delhi yesterday and said the party would decide "appropriate action" against the 63-year-old influential politician from North Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, adding to Khadse's woes, an association of fishermen today alleged the Minister supported fishermen who operated without valid licence and under him, department officials acted as "collection agents and extorted money".
Besides Revenue, Khadse also handles important portfolios like minority development, excise, wakf, animal husbandry, dairy development, fisheries and agriculture.
Akhil Maharashtra MachchiMar Kriti Samiti demanded immediate sacking of the BJP Minister and constitution of an SIT headed by a retired high court judge to probe charges of wrongdoings.
"Ever since Khadse took over as Minister of Fisheries, he sidelined 98 per cent fishermen and started supporting 2 per cent illegal fishermen. He ran a parallel business with boatmen who did not have valid licence," said Damodar Tandel, President of the Samiti, at a press conference.
"Officers of the (Fisheries) Department were acting like collection agents. They collected commission of over Rs 15 crore in the last six months," he said.
Tandel said when he met Khadse along with a delegation last month in Vidhan Bhavan to draw his attention over alleged violation of rules in awarding licences for operating fishing trawlers, the Minister boasted he was the "government".
At the press meet, Tandel circulated a video in which he and delegation members are shown as having heated arguments and Khadse purportedly saying "I am the government".
"Khadse does not have the right to stay as a Minister even for a minute. We will expose him by holding such press meets every week," said Tandel, adding the fishermen plan to come out on the streets to register their protest.
Meanwhile, defending Khadse over the fishermen's allegations, BJP said the charges made by Tandel were "baseless and preplanned".
"The allegations made against Khadse by the fishermen's union leader Tandel are baseless and pre-planned," a BJP statement said here.
"Tandel, during the meeting at Vidhan Bhavan, claimed credit for nabbing 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab," the statement quoted Khadse as saying.
"Video recording in Vidhan Bhavan is illegal and Tandel should hand over the video footage to Legislature Secretary," the statement said.
"The video footage proves this was a preplanned move on part of Tandel against me," it quoted Khadse as saying.
"People of Maharashtra will give a befitting reply to the baseless allegations levelled by Tandel against me," Khadse said.
