State BJP president Raosaheb Danve accused of occupying a government residence that is allotted to ministers. Danve refutes the allegations; says he stays in a flat at Worli
State BJP president Raosaheb Danve has landed in a soup, as he has been accused of occupying a government residence that is allotted to ministers.
The B7 bungalow near Mantralaya. Pic/Suresh Karkera
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Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil raised the issue after a Marathi daily published an article on Wednesday that Danve was illegally occupying B7 bungalow near Mantralaya. “This is a violation of the rules and no state party president is allowed to stay in government accommodations. If the BJP wants its chief to stay in government quarters then it must allot the same facility to presidents of other parties as well,” Patil told media persons.
Raosaheb Danve
When asked, Danve debunked all the allegations but admitted that he and his party colleagues had visited B7 for meetings and tea breaks. “My party has given me a residence in Worli’s Sukhada Society. I have been staying there for last 17 months and the flat belongs to one Shivajirao Jadhav,” he told mid-day yesterday.
Danve also said he was open to any inquiry. “I am open to any inquiry as the bungalow in question is allotted to Shekhar Charegaonkar, a BJP leader and president of Maharashtra State Cooperative Council,” Danve added.
The state BJP chief also admitted that he had stayed for a while at minister Prakash Mehta’s official residence and used to hold official meetings at minister of state Ambarish Atram’s bungalow. “There are issues that we cannot discuss at the party office, so we gather at some minister’s residence,” he said.
Sources said office-bearers across parties use government bungalows for conducting party affairs. A BJP leader said Vikhe-Patil’s official residence too is used by his party officials for meetings. “The residence of another opposition leader (Dhananjay Munde) is also used by his party office-bearers,” said the leader, adding that as along as guests don’t start living there permanently, there should not be a problem.
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