Bondre’s BJP entry was scheduled to take place on September 22. However, a phone call from Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi changed the course of events just before the planned induction.
Bondre had himself announced his decision to join the BJP on social media. His supporters had also started arriving in Mumbai, while preparations for his entry were underway. The Congress leadership then intervened. According to reports, Rahul Gandhi called Bondre and advised him not to take a decision in haste. A video of the conversation has also surfaced.
In the video, Rahul Gandhi is heard telling Bondre that he is a loyal Congress worker and that the party stands with him.
Bondre appeared emotional during the conversation. He told Rahul Gandhi that the phone call had given him the courage to fight again. He said that even if he had to lose a lot, he would stand with Rahul Gandhi in the fight. Following the conversation, Bondre decided to defer his move to the BJP.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal is also being discussed for his role in mediating the situation. As soon as reports of Bondre’s proposed BJP entry emerged, senior Congress leaders began contacting him. The situation was eventually managed after his conversation with Rahul Gandhi.
Following Bondre’s decision, Congress workers in Buldhana district celebrated. Workers in Chikhli, Dhad, Amdapur and several other places distributed sweets and held celebrations. The political discussion that had centred on Bondre’s possible BJP entry over the past few days has now shifted towards his decision to remain with the Congress and the political equations emerging from it.
For now, Rahul Bondre’s entry into the BJP has been deferred and he will remain with the Congress. Rahul Gandhi’s phone call has marked a significant turn in the political developments in Chikhli.
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