Maharashtra BJP chief meets Pankaja Munde at her residence

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday met party national secretary Pankaja Munde, who has been sidelined in state politics, at her residence here.

Mumbai, Nov 16: Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday met party national secretary Pankaja Munde, who has been sidelined in state politics, at her residence here. The meeting between the two leaders has sparked speculations about a possible comeback for Munde, who was the rural development minister in the previous BJP-led government in the state.

Courtesy Call or Something More?

Bawankule posted pictures of his visit to the home of Pankaja Munde, the daughter of BJP stalwart late Gopinath Munde, on social media. Beed Lok Sabha member Pritam Munde, sister of Pankaja Munde, was also present during the meeting. Bawankule described the visit as a courtesy call to greet the Mundes on Diwali. "Apart from savouring on Diwali delicacies, we had a good discussion on various issues," said the state BJP president without elaborating.

Pankaja Munde's Political Career

Pankaja Munde, a prominent OBC face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, was the rural development minister in the Devendra Fadnavis government from 2014 to 2019. However, she was defeated in her home constituency Parli in Beed district by her estranged cousin Dhananjay Munde, who is from the NCP Ajit Pawar group, in the October 2019 assembly polls. Dhananjay Munde joined the Shiv Sena-BJP ruling coalition along with Ajit Pawar on July 2 and is now a minister in the Eknath Shinde government.

Possible Comeback on the Cards?

Sources in the BJP said the party may consider fielding Pankaja Munde from the Beed Lok Sabha seat in the next year's parliamentary polls. On earlier occasions, the former state minister said her name was considered for membership of the Legislative Council and asked to file nomination, but had to withdraw at the last minute.

The meeting between Bawankule and Pankaja Munde has raised eyebrows in political circles, with many speculating that it could be a sign of things to come. With the next Lok Sabha elections just a year away, it remains to be seen whether the BJP will give Pankaja Munde another chance to prove her mettle in the political arena.