Munde's brother joins NCP, vows to take him down

Panditanna Munde, elder brother of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde, on Thursday joined the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party in the presence of his son (Gopinath's nephew) Dhananjay, and vowed to defeat his brother in the election.

Dhananjay, a member of legislative council, told the gathering that he was still with BJP, but would take a "final decision" after hearing from the saffron party.

Panditanna joined NCP at a function on Munde family's home turf, Parli in Marathwada region, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Gopinath Munde had earlier blamed Pawar for causing a rift in his family.

"If NCP gives me a chance, I will defeat Munde in election. If I lose, I will retire from politics," Panditanna said, after he was welcomed into the party by Ajit Pawar and state unit chief Madhukar Pichad.

At the function, Panditanna was described as someone whose "day begins with a 'darshan' of his mother and who enquires about her health four times a day".

Panditanna had recently remarked that Gopinath Munde did not bother to visit his mother, who lives with the elder son.

"In 1969, my father died. I ignored my own education to help Gopinath Munde become a big man," Panditanna said.

"Panditanna joined NCP because he was fed up with those who amass all powers with self," Ajit Pawar said, without naming Gopinath Munde. "When you were in Mumbai, your brother made you a legislator, but you forgot him."

Replying to Munde's allegation that he was out to finish OBC politics in the state by targeting him, Pawar said this was far from the truth. "Our party takes all sections of society along and I will leave politics if I ever indulge in such a thing," he said.