After days of futile negotiations with the Congress, BJP’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gopinath Munde, announced he will stay in the party.
The BJP central leadership has reportedly assured its sulking leader of key position in the functioning of the party unit, while the Congress high command refused to entertain Munde’s demand for a slot in the cabinet and another two ministerial berth for his loyalists in the Maharashtra cabinet.
Congress managers in Delhi, however, think the truce between Munde and the BJP will not last long. The BJP camp in Mumbai feels Munde’s sudden exit could have affected the party’s prospect in the ensuing elections to 200 municipalities, 33 zilla parishad and 11 municipal corporations during November and February next year if he had joined the Congress.
Immediately after his meeting with the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Munde, who had openly protested against his marginalisation in the party especially by the camp led by the national president Nitin Gadkari, announced that he will stay in the BJP. Swaraj had to try hard to get in touch with Munde who had kept his cell phone switched off for a day. Finally, Swaraj contacted Munde’s wife to establish contact with the OBC leader.
A senior BJP leader, who did not want to be identified, told Business Standard, "Munde played his cards very well as he publicly maintained that his fight is to get justice for hundreds and thousands of the party workers. At the same time, he listed out Gadkari's unilateral style of functioning especially with regard to his role in Maharashtra."
"Munde said Gadkari's behaviour is contrary to what he preached about collective decision making and party above leader. Since he took over, Munde explained that Gadkari has dumped the genuine party workers and especially those have mass following like him. For a moment, the party leadership has taken a decision to give a Munde chance as his departure will cost the party heavy," the party leader added.
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Meanwhile, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray advised Munde not to join the Congress party. Thackeray has said he was willing to discuss the grievances that could drive Munde into the arms of the Congress. Thackeray's party, the Shiv Sena, is the BJP's ally in Maharashtra, Munde's home state.
"If Munde leaves, it will not affect the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance," said Thackeray. However, he offered a consultation. "I will speak to Munde if he wants me to. My doors are open."
Munde had met several top BJP leaders in Delhi for the past two days to inform them about his grievances with the party leadership. He had been upset after Gadkari appointed his loyalist Vikas Mathkari as the Pune city unit chief while ignoring Yogesh Gogawale who was being backed by Munde. Differences between Munde and Gadkari also deepened after it became clear that the BJP President wanted to replace Pandurang Phundkar, a close aide of Munde and appoint his supporter Vinod Thawade as the leader of the opposition in Maharashtra Assembly.
“I was not in Delhi, but Gopinath Munde wanted to personally meet me and raise the issues that disturbed him,” said Sushma Swaraj who met Munde at her residence this afternoon.