This story is from June 24, 2022

After ‘joining BJP’ confusion, Gondia independent MLA pledges support

After ‘joining BJP’ confusion, Gondia independent MLA pledges support
Nagpur: MLC Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s tweet on Thursday evening about the independent MLA from Gondia joining BJP led to a mini-political drama in itself. Hours later, MLA Vinod Agrawal denied joining the saffron ranks, saying he only ‘pledged’ support to his former party.
Speaking to TOI, Agrawal said, “I have not joined BJP, though everybody knows I had been part of the saffron party earlier.
Today, I just pledged my support to the party because I believe in the BJP’s ideology and trust the leaders.”
Agrawal said being an independent MLA, joining another party will lead to the cancellation of his state assembly membership. Loss of status of elected public representative was too high a price to pay for him, especially when there is no need for the same.
In 2014, Agrawal had contested on BJP ticket but because of change in constituency, he lost by a few thousand votes. “In 2019, I did not get the ticket. Hence, I contested as an independent and won,” said Agrawal.
At that time, Agrawal had resigned from his primary membership of the BJP to comply with electoral norms.
Apart from Bawankule, even MLC Parinay Fuke had confirmed to TOI that Agrawal had joined the party. Bawankule had tweeted a photo of Agrawal with Devendra Fadnavis, while posting his Thursday evening tweet about Agrawal.
The Gondia MLA clarified that there must have “been some confusion”. “That picture is just about me pledging support to BJP,” said Agrawal.
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