After Khadse's exit, ministers believe this government bungalow is jinxed
Eknath Khadse is the latest to have embroiled in a controversy while being an occupant of the lavish sea facing property.
In Short
- Ministers believe Ramtek is a jinxed bungalow.
- No one wants to shift to the sprawling bungalow.
- Khadse is yet to vacate the bungalow.
With Eknath Khadse's unceremonious exit from Ramtek - his official residence, the theory of this plush bungalow being jinxed has got more credence. Believe it or not, the latest exit from this bungalow has created a fear among ministers.
Eknath Khadse is the latest to have embroiled in a controversy while being an occupant of the lavish sea facing property. Eknath Khadse had to quit from the State Cabinet following a series of allegations of land grab that India Today had reported first.
PEOPLE WHO EARLIER STAYED IN THE BUNGALOW
Prior to Khadse, the bungalow was occupied by NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal who is in jail since 3 months in connection with money laundering charges related with the Maharashtra Sadan scam. Bhujbal has been the longest occupant of the bungalow for 15 years. The Maharashtra Sadan scam is not the only low point of his political career that he witnessed at Ramtek. The OBC leader had to resign from his post of Home Minister following allegations of his involvement in the multi-crore fake stamp papers or Telgi scam.
Before Bhujbal, Gopinath Munde occupied this bungalow as the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister of Maharashtra. Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare had launched a series of embarrassing allegations against Munde, which not only impacted his political life but also shook his personal life. However, Munde was lucky to survive the bad patch. The controversy still remains attached to Munde's name.
Another strong leader from Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh stayed at the Ramtek bungalow before Gopinath Munde. Vilasrao as the occupant of the Bungalow in 1995 faced the most devastating loss of his political career. He lost from his bastion Latur by a huge margin to a political minnow. Vilasrao's political career saw a further dip when his attempt to make a comeback through Upper House too got jolted after his defeat in the Legislative Council Polls. Vilasrao though made a comeback in the following 1999 polls, but not as an occupant of Ramtek.
Not very long ago, Devednra Fadnavis government was scrambling for this 8,857-sqm sprawling house that has always been the most sought-after accommodation after Varsha, the chief minister's official residence. There were many senior BJP ministers including Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Education Minister Vinod Tawade and Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde vying for Ramtek.
Pankaja Munde had sought the house, saying she has fond memories of childhood there during her father's tenure as the Deputy CM of the state during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule. But in the tug of war for Ramtek, Khadse being the senior-most leader in the cabinet was lucky to get Ramtek. But, for Khadse the joy of staying at Ramtek became short lived.
MANY BELIEVE THIS BUNGALOW IS JINXED
Once the most sought after official residence, buzz is that no one now wants to shift to the sprawling bungalow. Many now believe, this bungalow, that is in fact bigger than the CM's official residence is jinxed.
Khadse is yet to vacate the bungalow, but even before that, there are no takers for Ramtek. For now no one is willing to come on record with their fear about the jinx but with back to back examples, no one is willing to take a chance.