New Delhi (Agency): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Maharashtra, Pankaja Munde, has announced her decision to temporarily step back from her active political duties, seeking a respite of “one or two months.” Her announcement comes in the wake of repeated interrogations into her integrity, leaving her distraught and dispirited.
Munde expressed her disappointment at the BJP, posing an open-ended question on whether she possessed the merit to serve the party. She left the judgement of her fair treatment to the hands of time, indicating a subtle dissatisfaction with her party’s conduct.
The former Parli MLA also took a critical stance against the media, accusing them of frequently taking her statements out of context or misconstruing her words. Her annoyance with the press has escalated to such an extent that she is contemplating legal action against a media channel that allegedly misreported her meeting with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Never one to mince words, Munde raised questions over her party colleagues’ silence on the recent political shake-up in Maharashtra, referring to the recent split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and a faction joining the Eknath Shinde government. Despite their zealous campaign to celebrate the nine-year tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Munde noticed a conspicuous lack of courage among her peers to comment on the recent developments.
Pankaja Munde, daughter of the late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, remains firmly rooted in the ideologies of Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which she has held close to her heart since her formative years. In light of her electoral defeat in the 2019 assembly polls from Parli, her name was considered for nomination to the Rajya Sabha and the Maharashtra Legislative Council twice, only to be withdrawn at the last minute.
In her address to the press, she shared her concerns about the state of politics and her dedication to the party’s interests, despite having her candidacy cancelled on multiple occasions. Her frustration leads her to a phase of introspection during her announced break.
Despite her intent to distance herself from the media, Munde clarified that she would continue her duties as the in-charge of Madhya Pradesh and engage in discussions related to the upcoming assembly elections, scheduled for year-end.
Munde also addressed a recent tweet by her cousin and Parli MLA, Dhananjay Munde, depicting her performing an ‘aukshan’ (a lamp-based ritual for someone’s well-being) for him. Dhananjay, an NCP leader, defeated Pankaja in the 2019 assembly polls. He also tweeted that she had greeted him for his recent appointment as a minister in the Eknath Shinde government, underscoring the strong bond they share.
Pankaja Munde’s announcement has reverberated through the party ranks, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis extending his understanding and support. He described Munde as a senior leader whose concerns need to be addressed by the party and ensured dialogue with her to understand her perspective. Despite the recent political upheavals, including an NCP faction aligning with the BJP, Fadnavis remains hopeful, advocating dialogue as the solution to all internal disputes.
