Pune: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is confident that former Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse, who had to resign in the wake of serious allegations levelled against him, will emerge clean after the probe is completed.
Kahdse was seen as a rival to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state as he was a very powerful leader of the backward community in the state.
"I am confident that Nathabhau (Khadse) will emerge clean from this "Agnipariksha" (test by fire)," Fadnavis said.
Khadse, who drew flak for alleged irregularity in buying an MIDC plot at Bhosari in Pune and subsequently stepped down, was present on the dais when Fadnavis made the comments during the two-day BJP state executive meeting here.
Addressing the meeting here, the chief minister attacked the opposition Congress and NCP saying they were "targeting" the ministers because there were no scams in the government that was working "honestly".
He alleged that NCP leaders had grabbed government plots and deserved criminal investigation into their dealings, adding that they had no moral right to accuse the BJP ministers of wrongdoing.
"Return the government plots before making such baseless allegations against our ministers", Fadnavis said.
Those who were present at the meeting included union ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari and BJP state president Raosaheb Danve.
Khadse resigned on June 4 after facing heat over a series of allegations including irregularities in a land deal here and calls allegedly received from mob boss Dawood Ibrahims residence in Karachi on his mobile phone besides the alleged bribe sought by his "PA".
