Mumbai, Aug. 31 -- Senior NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse on Sunday celebrated his 75th birthday in Muktainagar in Jalgaon district with a grand gathering, featuring top political leaders from across party lines. But chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, with whom Khadse has had long-standing political differences and whom he had invited for his birthday, skipped the event, prompting the veteran leader to take a swipe at the "changing political culture". "Today, I feel pain when I compare the politics of the present with the politics of the past," Khadse, who spent most of his political career in the BJP before shifting to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in 2020, told the gathering. "Despite being in the Opposition, leaders from the ruling parties always helped me. Until 2014, there was a cordial political environment where leaders from the Opposition and ruling parties would meet, greet each other and even criticise one another. But personal differences were never at the level we see today. Personal relationships were always maintained," he remarked. Khadse also highlighted his contribution to the development of Jalgaon during his tenure as an MLA and minister, when he initiated several development projects alongside making efforts to ensure the region's social fabric was not disturbed. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, who was among prominent leaders present at the gathering, acknowledged Khadse's contribution to the BJP's growth in the state. "Once upon a time, the BJP's political presence in Maharashtra was limited. Among those who worked tirelessly to establish the party at the grassroots level were Pramod Mahajan and Eknath Khadse," Pawar said. Khadse was one of the BJP's most prominent leaders in north Maharashtra and wielded considerable influence in the region, particularly among the numerically significant Leva Patil community, which is categorised as Other Backward Classes (OBC)....