Pankaja Munde's FB post raises eyebrows

BJP leader Pankaja Munde's social media post on her "future journey" in view of changed political scenario in Maharashtra caused a flutter on Sunday.

Pankaja, who had served as a minister in the erstwhile BJP-led Maharashtra government, has also invited her followers to Gopinathgad on December 12 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of her late father Gopinath Munde, a BJP stalwart.

Gopinathgad is a memorial of Gopinath Munde in Beed district.

"Looking at the changed political scenario in state, there is a need to think and decide the way ahead. I need time for some 8-10 days to communicate with myself. Our future journey need to be decided against the backdrop of current political changes.

"What to do next? Which path to be taken? What can we give to people? What is our strength? What are expectations of people? I will think about all these aspects and come before you on December 12," Pankaja wrote in her post, which is in Marathi.

In the assembly elections held on October 21, Pankaja lost to her cousin and NCP rival Dhananjay Munde in a bitter contest from Parli seat in Beed district.

Pankaja wrote that she had accepted her defeat in the polls and moved on.

"I had attended the meetings of the party (BJP)," the former Parli MLA wrote.

Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Shirish Boralkar told PTI on Sunday that Pankaja will continue her work to make the BJP stronger in the state.

"I have read the Facebook post of Pankaja Munde. This post nowhere conveys that Pankaja is not happy with the BJP. She attended the core committee meetings of the BJP. She is a daughter of Gopinath Munde who had contributed immensely in building the BJP in the state," he said.

Boralkar said Pankaja is with the BJP.

Pankaja could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Maharashtra politics witnessed many a twists and turns after the assembly poll results were declared on October 24.

Scripting a new political chapter in the state, the Shiv Sena ditched its old ally BJP, which had won maximum 105 seats, and joined hands with former rivals NCP and Congress to form a Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray took oath of the new MVA government on Thursday. The alliance government won floor test on Saturday comfortably with the support of 169 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly.