Munde won't leave party: Maharashtra BJP

Sulking Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde on Tuesday stayed away from a crucial meeting of party legislators, convened by Maharashtra unit chief Sudhir Mungantiwar in the backdrop of the OBC leader's "rebellion."

Leader of Opposition Eknath Khadse, however, told mediapersons after the meeting that he was confident that Munde would not leave the party. "I am confident Munde will never leave the party," he said at the Vidhan Bhawan in Mumbai.

Asked if a resolution was sought to be tabled at the meeting, Khadse said the BJP state unit was "cohesive and united" and despite Munde's recent moves "no such resolution was brought in the meeting and neither is there a need for it."

MLA Nana Patole, a Munde supporter, said the message inviting Munde for the meeting could not be conveyed. "When we noticed this, we decided to meet Munde," he said. Accordingly, senior leaders left for Munde's residence in Worli after the meeting, he added.

There were also reports that only Khadse, a Munde supporter, and Mungantiwar, said to be from the BJP President Nitin Gadkari's camp, spoke at the meeting. The meeting followed speculation that after failing to get his demands fulfilled by party leadership, Munde is on his way to join the Congress.

Munde is reportedly disgruntled after Gadkari, once his junior in state unit, spurned the former's demands to make him the Opposition leader in the state assembly and to make supporter Pandurang Phundkar the state BJP president in place of Mungantiwar.

Munde supporters who attended the meeting include legislators Pasha Patel, Raosaheb Danve, Prakash Shendge and Munde's daughter Pankaja Palve and nephew Dhananjay Munde.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mumbai BJP chief Raj Purohit met Munde at his residence. There were also reports that Munde met his long-time friend Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who also stays in the same building as his, but there was no confirmation from either side.

A section of the media reported that during his three-day stay in Delhi, Munde established contact with Mohan Prakash, the Congress in-charge of Maharashtra. However, Prakash has denied meeting Munde.

A leading Marathi television channel on Monday night aired what it claimed was an exclusive report saying Munde will be offered a central ministerial berth by the Congress if he joins it.