MUMBAI: For a political party, winning an election trumps everything – even if it means forgiving a foe for leaking embarrassing photos from a casino party, and overlooking alleged underworld ties. It was in this spirit that the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed Sudhakar Badgujar into its fold with a grand reception on Tuesday.
There’s just one reason the BJP invited Badgujar to cross over from the Shiv Sena (UBT). A local leader with considerable clout in Nashik, the BJP is betting big on him helping them win local body elections in North Maharashtra, scheduled for later this year.
But joining the party has caused a fair amount of heartburn. Badgujar had been accused by BJP leaders of links with the Dawood Ibrahim gang. He is also believed to have leaked photos of state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule splurging crores of rupees at a casino at Macau in 2024. Bawankule blames Badgujar for providing senior Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut with ammunition against the senior BJP leader. Raut had in November 2023 posted images on social media of Bawankule splurging at a casino in Macau. Raut alleged he had spent more than ₹3.5 crore on the occasion.
Naturally, in the run-up to Badgujar’s induction into the BJP, both Nashik BJP MLA Seema Hirey and Bawankule opposed the move, but they’ve had to fall in line.
As for Badgujar’s alleged underworld ties, he was the Sena (UBT) Nashik city chief when the BJP unleashed an attack on him for these alleged links. BJP minister Nitesh Rane had in December 2023 raised the issue in the state assembly, brandishing images of Badgujar dancing with Salim Kutta, a Dawood Ibrahim gang member accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, at a birthday party thrown by the politician.
Following a demand by Mahayuti leaders Ashish Shelar, Rane and Dada Bhuse, then home minister Devendra Fadnavis had ordered an inquiry into the allegations by a special investigation team. “Partying with a gangster who is an aide of a terrorist responsible for the 1993 blasts shows lack of sensitivity and this should be investigated,” Fadnavis had said. Badgujar was later externed from Nashik.
A lot has changed since then. Traditionally, the undivided Shiv Sena enjoyed strong support in Nashik. Since Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Sena (UBT) is looking to revive his party by winning seats in the upcoming local body elections, the BJP felt the need to thwart these ambitions.
With a change in political fortunes, Badgujar met the same Fadnavis – now chief minister – when he visited Nashik over a week ago. Party insiders say Fadnavis’s trusted aide, water resources minister Girish Mahajan, was tasked with winning over Badgujar. Anticipating the move, Thackeray expelled Badgujar from the Sena (UBT) soon after the latter met Fadnavis.
Then, on Monday, Badgujar announced that he was joining the BJP and arrived at the party’s state office with a large group of supporters. The move took Bawankule completely by surprise. He told the media he was not aware of a decision to induct Badgujar into the party.
Hours later, on Tuesday, Bawankule was eating humble pie – he was seen welcoming Badgujar at the party office.
“I was under the impression that his entry to the party would be marked by a grand programme but my colleague Girish Mahajan planned it today itself,” Bawankule said at the function, clearly not amused at what was happening.
“It was a communication gap,” Mahajan told the media, when asked how the state BJP chief was not aware of the grand reception.
Nitesh Rane too did an about-face on Tuesday. “He (Badgujar) is now walking the path of Hindutva. If he is working to strengthen Hindutva, there’s no reason to oppose his entry to the party.”
Several BJP leaders from Nashik including MLA Seema Hirey, who had defeated Badgujar in the 2024 assembly elections, were strongly opposed to his induction. However, they were told by the BJP leadership that the party’s interests were more important.
“There could be resistance at the local level as they have been fighting each other for years. I am sure their differences will subside in due course,” said Bawankule, who added that the investigation against Badgujar would continue.
“Now we can aim to win 100 seats in the Nashik civic body,” said Mahajan, as Badgujar’s supporters raised slogans in support of their new party. Mahajan’s optimism appears to be well founded. Eight former corporators, former MLA Babanrao Gholap, his daughter and former corporator Nayana Gholap joined BJP along with Badgujar on Tuesday.