BJP backs Munde, blames Ajit Pawar for exit of his nephew

Throwing its weight behind senior leader Gopinath Munde, facing Election Commission's wrath for his poll expenditure remark, BJP today alleged that senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar had engineered a rift in the Munde family and made his MLC nephew Dhananjay Munde resign from the party.
Gopinath, who represents Beed Lok Sabha seat from Marathwada region, recently stoked a controversy by revealing that he spent Rs 8 crore on the campaigning for 2009 election. His statement is under the EC scanner, which has served him a notice.
"What (Gopinath) Munde was trying to say was about electoral reforms. His statement was taken out of context. After the election commission scrutinises his speech, he will come out clean," state unit BJP president Devendra Fadnavis told reporters referring to the remarks made by the senior leader at a function recently.

"After election commission issued notice to Gopinath Munde over his remark, NCP leader Ajit Pawar ensured that Dhananjay Munde quit BJP," he said commenting on Dhananjay's resignation as a legislator and subsequent cross over to Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
Fadnavis said Pawar's strategy will not succeed as Gopinath enjoys the backing of all sections.
"They (Pawar and Dhananjay) cannot defeat Gopinath Munde. If Ajit Pawar wants to experiment with it, then let him try. He will be defeated," Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis said NCP's plans to make a foray in Parli constituency in 2014 Assembly elections will come unstuck.
Dhananjay, who was elected to the Legislative Council from the Legislative Assembly quota, had three years of his tenure left.

He had reportedly been sulking since 2009 when Munde senior chose his daughter Pankaja over Dhananjay for contesting the assembly seat.