Is Ramtek bungalow, occupied by Eknath Khadse, in Mumbai's Malabar Hill​ jinxed?

Mumbai: The sea-facing Ramtek bungalow at Malabar Hill allotted to senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse  seems to be jinxed.

This is a bungalow which is preferred by most ministers as it is said to be very spacious. But there is a catch to it.

Some of the former occupants of the bungalow have got involved in controversies and have had to face political ignominy.

As per media reports, after Khadse's resignation, most politicians are reluctant to live in it as it is being considered inauspicious.

Some of the previous occupants of the bungalow have been former Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal (who is at present lodged in Arthur Road jail and faces various corruption charges), Gopinath Munde and Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Deshmukh became CM of Maharashtra in 1995 but later could not win his legislative seat. BJP leader Munde too had to go through political upheavals.

However, NCP chief Sharad Pawar too is a former resident of this house and did go through various ups and downs in his political life but managed to survive.

Facing a string of allegations including irregularities in a land deal, Khadse resigned on June 04.

With his position becoming untenable after the central leadership sent a clear and stern message, the 64-year-old veteran from north Maharashtra offered his resignation to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The fate of Khadse was sealed after Fadnavis briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi about the development and its possible fallout on the image of the ministry.

Considered 'number two' in the Cabinet and in-charge of vital portfolios like Revenue and Agriculture, Khadse has been facing a series of allegations including irregularities in a land deal in Pune and of getting calls allegedly from fugitive Dawood Ibrahim's residence in Karachi on his mobile phone besides the alleged bribe sought by a personal aide.

He is in a spot over the purchase of a three-acre Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) land in Pune allegedly at a low price of around Rs 3.75 crore from its original owner in the name of his wife and son-in-law. The market value of the land is reportedly Rs 40 crore.

(With PTI inputs)