RSS wants scrutiny of BJP-bound leaders: Chandrakant Patil

The RSS has told the BJP that "proper scrutiny" should be done of leaders joining it from other parties, Maharashtra state unit chief Chandrakant Patil said on Friday.

Some leaders from the Congress and NCP have joined the BJP in recent weeks in view of the upcoming state Assembly polls.

"The Sangh offers its guidance but never makes it compulsory. Their (RSS) view is that whoever is coming into the BJP should come after proper scrutiny," Patil said here.

He added that the BJP would not take in people who are "tainted".

Patil was replying to a query on his earlier statement that "250 political families" in the state would have to give an account of their work.

Reporters reminded him that many members of these political families are now in the BJP.

When asked about whether he would release a list of these "250 families", Patil said people knew about them, including those who travelled on scooters once and now own nine factories.

"During the inquiry, if it is revealed that a person has not done anything wrong, he will be spared, even if he is from the opposition," he said.

In a lighter vein, he said Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, who is a "very good hearted man", will be spared if an inquiry against him fails to throw up any wrongdoing.

When asked that some leaders like Vijaysinh Mohite Patil, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Shivendraraje Bhosale, whose institutions are in trouble, had joined the BJP, Patil said "no one will get a concession".

"If they have cases against them, the government has not and will not help them going out of the way," Patil stressed.

Patil also claimed the thought of wresting Baramati Assembly seat from senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar would be an "optimistic" one, as the latter had done "good work" there.

"However, we have set a target of winning Baramati in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," he added.

To a query on whether he was in the race for chief minister, Patil said he was ready for any responsibility that the party gives him.

When asked about what he would do if he was offered the CM's post, Patil replied with a cryptic "should I leave it".