Kept out of key BJP meet, Munde fumes

Bharatiya Janata Party general Secretary Gopinath Munde upped the ante against the party leadership on Tuesday when he claimed that he was not invited to the meeting of state BJP legislators and parliamentarians that was held in Mumbai.

Speaking from his residence in Purna, Mumbai, Munde lamented that he was in Mumbai since Monday night but was still uninvited for the BJP meet.

"I have been working for the BJP for the last 35 years. I am an MP and have been an MLA for the party, yet I was not invited to the meeting… This is the reward that I have got for working selflessly for the party all these years," the BJP leader said.

While blaming the Gadkari camp for the current imbroglio, the BJP general secretary tried to keep up the pressure on the party by reiterating his threat to quit the party.

Hinting that he would be forced to quit the party if the leadership in Delhi did not accpet his demands, Munde said he would decide on his next move after meeting party functionaries.

"The talks are on with the BJP leadership. Once the talks are over, I will interact with party functionaries in the state and then decide," he said.

Munde said contrary to reports he had not asked for exclusive control of party's affairs in Maharashtra or hanker for the post of opposition leader in the Maharashtra assembly.

"I have frankly spoken to the leadership about the problems and grievances faced by the party functionaries. The talks are still going on," he said.

Image: BJP legislators talking to media persons outside the Maharashtra assembly
Photograph: Sahil Salvi