Days before poll, BJP pulls off show of unity

The faction-ridden city unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) put up a united front with leaders from both Munde and Gadkari factions sharing the stage at a rally in Pune on Sunday. The party’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gopinath Munde, addressed the rally, while sharing the dais with city unit president Vikas Mathkari.

The selection of Mathkari, a known loyalist of BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, as city president had upset the Munde faction. Infighting in the city BJP delayed declaration of candidates for the civic elections in Pune.

The presence of Mathkari and city MLA Girish Bapat, sharing the stage with Munde, MLA Madhuri Misal and Munde loyalists like Gopal Chintal and others was seen as an effort by the party to project an united image before the city goes to the polls on Thursday. However, Mathkari did not speak at the rally.

Munde criticised the ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance for “the reign of terror and corruption unleashed by them in Pune.”

“The Congress and the NCP enjoy power both at the centre and the state, yet they were not able to do any justice to Pune,” he claimed.