Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister for Rural Development Gopinath Munde who died tragically in a road accident this morning, had said last night that there was no rivalry between the BJP and its key ally, the Shiv Sena over the issue of who would be the next chief minister of Maharashtra.
Speaking to ANI yesterday, in what would be his last television interview, Munde said, "If the Shiv Sena gets more people (elected representatives), then they will get the chief ministerial position, and we have no opposition to it. The BJP has not declared any chief ministerial candidate, and neither does it intend to. There is no fight within for the chief ministerial candidate. The Mahayuti(NDA) will decide."
Munde was travelling towards the airport, when his SUV was hit by a Tata Indica car at the Moti Bagh red light crossing around 6.20 a.m. Munde, who was sitting on the front passenger seat took the major impact of the hit, and was rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for emergency treatment. The medical staff at the centre declared him dead at 7:20AM, according to statement read out by AIIMS personnel.
Union Health Minister Dr.Harshvardhan added that the exact cause of death would be known only after the post mortem report is out.
Gopinath Munde's body will be shifted to BJP's headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road in New Delhi for people to pay their last respects to the Marathwada leader before his funeral scheduled for tomorrow in Beed district at around 4.30 pm.
