MUMBAI: Sidelined in the recent Union cabinet reshuffle, the Munde sisters—former minister Pankaja and Beed MP Pritam— held a show of strength at their Worli office on Tuesday. Party workers from Beed gathered in large numbers and some even submitted resignations, which were rejected.
Pankaja on Sunday had attended the meeting of BJP national secretaries and later met PM Narendra Modi and party’s national president J P Nadda. “I met Modi to discuss organisational issues,” she said. “I conveyed to Nadda that people are upset and submitting resignations. He said he was confident I would be able to soothe them. Leaders in Delhi are not out to finish me (political career)...I may not be a cabinet minister, but I am a Rashtriya (national) leader,” she said.
Pankaja used the opportunity to assert she was not leaving BJP. “We have built this house with hardwork and sweat. We sh-ould not leave our house. If the roof comes down (I) will decide wh-at to do next.” Referring to her st-ruggle as a ‘dharmayuddha’, she said she was trying hard to avoid it. Pankaja said the sisters were not upset over Bhagwan Karad being made a cabinet minister. “I am not greedy for power nor do I lust for the chair. I never laid claim to the CM’s post; I want to fulfill my father’s dream to ensure the CM is from BJP.”
