'Ignored' Vidarbha MLA Ashish Deshmukh quits BJP

In a jolt to the BJP Vidarbha unit, Ashish Deshmukh, the BJP MLA from Katol constituency resigned as MLA on Tuesday. He sent his resignation via mail to State Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagde on Tuesday and will be handing it over to Bagde in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Deshmukh told media persons that despite him discussing his grievances, the BJP did not pay attention to the issues he raised, which is why he resigned. Deshmukh is the son of former Congress state unit chief and minister Ranjit Deshmukh.

He has been criticising the Devendra Fadnavis-led government for ignoring the demands for a separate Vidarbha. He has also been vocal about the Nanar refinery issue and had echoed the sentiments of Shiv Sena, opposing the refinery project.

Nanar refinery and petrochemical complex is touted to invite investments worth Rs 3 lakh crore and the state government predicts mass employment generation from it. But, the Shiv Sena has opposed it by citing possible destruction of the Konkan region due to industrial pollution. Ashish Deshukh had demanded scrapping of the project and had suggested that the project can come up in Nagpur so that development deficit of Vidarbha region can be compensated also.

After sending his resignation, Deshmukh left Nagpur for Wardha and met Congress President Rahul Gandhi there. Speaking to media persons, he maintained that he has resigned as BJP MLA and would work for the interest of the Vidarbha region.