Some BJP netas worked for defeating my daughter,Pankaja:Khadse

Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse on Wednesday claimed some leaders of the saffron party played an active role in electoral defeat of his daughter Rohini and former minister Pankaja Munde.

The BJP had denied ticket to Khadse for the assembly polls held in October this year, but instead fielded his daughter from his home turf Muktainagar in Jalgaon district.

However, Rohini Khadse lost to Shiv Sena rebel Chandrakant Patil. Munde was defeated by her cousin and NCP rival Dhananjay Munde of the NCP from Parli in Beed district.

"I and Pankaja are of the opinion that some BJP leaders tried to defeat her and Rohini. I have informed state BJP unit chief Chandrakant Patil about it," Khadse said.

Khadse, known as a rival of the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, was forced to resign as revenue minister of the erstwhile BJP government in 2016 over land grab allegations.

Pankaja, daughter of late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, is also in sulk since her loss in the bitterly contested elections.

On Monday, Pankaja had removed the word "BJP" from her twitter bio, triggering speculation about her next political move.

However, on Tuesday she said defection was not in her blood and that she would not leave the BJP.