Munde withdraws resignation as BJP general secretary

New Delhi, Apr 22 : Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gopinath Munde on Tuesday withdrew his resignation as general secretary, and said: "I have been with the BJP for the last 30 years and I will stay in the party. I have never thought of joining any other platform, I will never think of it."

Munde had on Sunday expressed his displeasure over certain actions of the BJP's Maharashtra unit, including the appointment of Madhu Chavan as President of the Mumbai BJP unit. He wanted Kirit Somaya to be the Mumbai party chief.

Munde met senior BJP leader L K Advani today to sort out his differences. Before the meeting, he said, "I will place my grievances before the party high command. I will respect whatever decision they take."

Party President Rajnath Singh, said after a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party that the crisis in its Maharashtra unit would be resolved "amicably".

"There is no crisis. Gopinath Munde is in Delhi today and I am sure that misunderstanding, if any, will be resolved amicably," Singh told reporters.

The meeting was attended by Advani and other senior BJP leaders.

Munde had said on Sunday that the party had not been functioning in a democratic manner, which hadled him to take the decision.

According to party sources, a bitter battle has been raging between Munde and Maharashtra BJP President Nitin Gadkari over several party decisions related to Maharashtra.

ANI