BJP vice-prez Munde threatens to quit; to join Shiv Sena?

New Delhi, Jun 17: The revolt inside the Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) came to light as its vice-president Gopinath Munde threatened to quit the party over his disagreement with party leadership.

The BJP's deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gopinath Munde was unhappy with the party over the selection of Pune BJP president. BJP president Nitin Gadkari appointed his loyalist Vikas Mathkari as the Pune president after snubbing Munde loyalist Yogesh Gogawale.

Munde said he will decide his political future after BJP meet in Delhi on Saturday, Jun 18. He hinted joining other political party if he fail to get a positive approach from party's leadership.

"Opposition leader in the Assembly Eknath Khadse met me yesterday and invited me for tomorrow's BJP meeting in Delhi. I have accepted the invitation. Senior leader Venkaiah Naidu also called me and directed me to attend the meeting," said Munde.

"I will decide my future political course after tomorrow's meeting. I will seek some time to decide on what they (BJP leaders) have to say. Whatever I have to say, I will say in the party platform," he said.

Munde rejected reports of joining Shiv Sena saying that he was in political life for the last three decades so it is natural that he had contacts across political parties.

"In the past, when I was unhappy, Sena chief Bal Thackeray called me and told me to stay in BJP. Even now, I will go and attend a meeting if called by Sena chief. These relations are beyond politics," Munde added.

OneIndia News