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Politics in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district witnessed a sudden turn after former Congress MLA Rahul Bondre reconsidered his reported decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Bondre, who has represented the Chikhli Assembly constituency in the past, had publicly indicated that he was leaving Congress and preparing to join the BJP.
According to reports, Bondre had announced his decision through a Facebook live broadcast. His BJP entry was reportedly planned for September 22 in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, the political situation changed after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contacted Bondre over the phone.
During the conversation, Gandhi reportedly asked Bondre to reconsider his decision and remain with Congress. Reports quoting the conversation say Gandhi praised Bondre’s work for the party and told him that Congress needed leaders like him.
A video of the conversation later circulated on social media. In the video, Bondre can be seen speaking with Gandhi and expressing his willingness to continue working with Congress. Since the video has not been independently verified, details of the conversation should be treated as reported rather than independently established facts.
The development came only a short time after Bondre had publicly indicated that he would leave Congress. His announcement had created speculation about the political impact of his possible move to the BJP in Buldhana and Chikhli.
Bondre also reportedly thanked Congress state president Harshvardhan Sapkal and other party leaders while announcing his decision. However, following the conversation with Gandhi, he changed his position and decided to remain with Congress.
The BJP had also reportedly prepared for Bondre’s entry. Chikhli BJP MLA Shweta Mahale had confirmed the possibility of Bondre joining the party and indicated that the induction could take place on September 22 in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Bondre’s political background is closely linked with Chikhli and Buldhana. He has previously represented the Chikhli Assembly constituency and remained an important Congress figure in the district. In the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election, he contested against BJP’s Shweta Mahale and reportedly lost by a margin of around 3,702 votes.
The latest development is significant in the context of Maharashtra’s continuing political realignments. The state has witnessed several instances of leaders moving between political groups, and speculation over further defections has remained part of the political discourse.
Earlier in September, Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel claimed that 14 MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction were in contact with the Eknath Shinde-led faction. Patel referred to the possible political movement as “Operation Tiger” and also claimed that municipal corporators and grassroots workers could follow. There was no independent official confirmation of the alleged 14-MLA move at the time.
The developments surrounding Rahul Bondre therefore come against a backdrop of continuing discussions over political defections in Maharashtra. While Bondre had earlier announced his intention to join the BJP, the latest reports indicate that he has withdrawn from that decision after speaking with Rahul Gandhi and will continue with Congress.
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