The core committee of the party will now meet next week to tackle the areas of conflict that created the differences within state organisation. Gadkari and Munde had differences over the appointment of their men in key party posts in Maharashtra.
After a fortnight of high drama, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde on Tuesday announced that he will stay with the party. Offering an olive branch, Munde called up party president Nitin Gadkari. Both are in New Delhi.
The core committee of the party will now meet next week to tackle the areas of conflict that created the differences within state organisation. Gadkari and Munde had differences over the appointment of their men in key party posts in Maharashtra.
But Munde’s decision to stay could be the beginning of greater challenges ahead as Gadkari supporters will not miss any opportunity to undermine his leadership.
“After having taken the battle to such extremes, how he will consolidate his position within the state will be the big question,” said a senior BJP leader requesting anonymity.
While leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj worked as a catalyst to provide him a safe passage after their meeting at her Delhi residence, Munde reportedly went on the back foot after being cold-shouldered by the Congress.
The meeting with Swaraj was significant as Munde was forced to make his stand clear whether he intends to stay in the party to quit.
Senior BJP leader LK Advani, who was upset with Munde for demanding a guarantee when told that he would lead the 2014 assembly polls in Maharashtra, has now advised him to work with the team to strengthen the party’s base in the state.
Senior leaders Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and Swaraj too assured Munde that they will look into issues he raised, but refused to make any changes in the key party posts. Munde decision to stay has evoked a mixed reaction in the city BJP headquarters.
“Munde has already used two lifelines to survive in the BJP. He may not be lucky third time if he raises the banner of revolt against Gadkari,” advised senior BJP leader. But ecstatic Munde supporters in the city burst crackers, distributed sweets and chanted slogans: “Gadkari-Munde aage badho; hum tumhare saath hain.”
Munde said: “I have never ever met Congress general secretary Ahmed Patel. At no point have I ever held any discussions with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan or any other leader in the Congress. From the start I had stated my intentions were to place before the top leadership concerns about the workers.”
State Congress general secretary Sanjay Dutt maintained: “Munde never expressed a desire to join the Congress, so where was the question of any negotiations. Moreover, the developments were intra-party matters.” He said nobody from the state or Centre had held any talks with Munde.
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