Eknath Khadse, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), expressed gratitude to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for swift assistance following his heart attack on November 5. Khadse conveyed his appreciation during a telephonic conversation with Shinde.
From his hospital bed, Khadse thanked the CM, stating, "I also told the CM that if he had not sent his air-ambulance promptly that evening, my life would have 'taken off' from this world!"
Khadse narrated how an initially booked air-ambulance faced delays in securing air traffic control (ATC) clearance for takeoff. His daughter, Rohini Khadse, reached out to Chief Minister Shinde, who generously offered to dispatch another government standby air-ambulance to Jalgaon.
Following the prompt assistance, Khadse was airlifted to Bombay Hospital, where he underwent a successful angioplasty. Now on the road to recovery, he assured, "I am feeling perfectly fine... I shall rest and recuperate at home for the next few days and then resume my normal activities."
Throughout his hospital stay, family members, medical teams, and party activists closely monitored Khadse's health. Political figures, including NCP President Sharad Pawar, Working President Supriya Sule, senior leader Nawab Malik, and representatives from various parties, visited Khadse to inquire about his health.
Khadse, with over 40 years in BJP, joined NCP in 2020 after differences with saffron party leaders. Denied a party ticket in the 2019 Assembly elections, he secured a victory as an NCP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) in 2022.