Maharashtra: Congress veteran Rahul Bondre drops BJP switch after Rahul Gandhi’s late-night call

In a dramatic political twist on the eve of his scheduled induction into the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP former Congress MLA Rahul Bondre called off his highprofile defection to the ruling party following a personal latenight intervention by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul GandhiThe lastminute reversal has delivered a significant psychological blow to the BJP in Buldhana district particularly to incumbent Chikhli MLA Shweta Mahale whose camp had meticulously orchestrated Bondrersquos entry into the party foldBondre was slated to formally join the BJP on Tuesday at its state headquarters in Mumbai in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP state president Ravindra ChavanExtensive preparations had been made including banner protocols and official event schedules However the political script inverted late Monday nightMediated by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee MPCC president Harshwardhan Sapkal Rahul Gandhi connected with Bondre via a phone call that quickly made its way into political headlinesA viral video capturing the conversation shows an emotional Bondre overwhelmed by Gandhis direct outreach Do not panic and do not buckle under pressure It would be a mistake Rahul Gandhi is heard advising Bondre during the callWe stand with you They want you to flee so they can reduce their competition and expand their influence Do not walk into the BJPs trap the Lok Sabha LoP saidReassured by the party leadership a tearful Bondre pledged his complete allegiance to the CongressI stayed with the party because of you Bhaiya The fact that you personally called a worker like me gives me the strength to fight again Even if I lose everything I will stand by your side in this battle he saidEncouraging the former lawmaker Gandhi responded Love you Remember you cannot win without facing defeat Failure is the foundation of victoryBondres entry was seen as a massive tactical victory for the BJP in Chikhli as it would have effectively neutralised local political opposition for current MLA Shweta MahaleReports indicate Bondre had been in constant touch with Mahale and her staff throughout the preceding day to iron out the entry protocols with the Chief Ministers office having already cleared the official scheduleThe unexpected cancellation has brought a wave of relief to the local Congress unit while forcing the BJP leadership to recalibrate its strategy in the regionRahul Bondre represented the Chikhli constituency in Buldhana after winning successive elections in 2009 and 2014 He lost the seat to BJPrsquos Shweta Mahale in both the 2019 and 2024 Assembly electionsIn 2019 senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik personally travelled to Chikhli to prevent Bondrersquos potential exit Bondre holds substantial local clout through his networks in regional cooperative banks and spinning millsDespite recent friction and public hints via social media expressing his intent to part ways with the party Gandhirsquos personal intervention successfully persuaded the veteran leader to remain in the Congress foldThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever