Pankaja Munde calls on Bhujbal

Mumbai, Sep 21: Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde today called on beleaguered NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who is currently recuperating at state-run J J hospital following an illness. "

(Late BJP leader) Gopinath Munde had high regards for and had time and again considered Chhagan Bhujbal as an efficient leader as far as the cause of OBCs is concerned.

Factoring in the close relations between both the families, Pankaja met him at J J hospital," an aide of Munde said.

Bhujbal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March in an alleged money laundering case. He has been lodged in the Arthur Road Jail since then.

The former Deputy Chief Minister was admitted in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of the hospital on September 17, after he complained of weakness and headache, and was found to have fever when prison doctors examined him.

An NCP leader said that since the last two days, Bhujbal has been shifted to the hospital's general ward and is undergoing treatment there. Munde's aide further said that the minister spent around half-an-hour interacting with Bhujbal.

"Pankaja also met hospital officials to enquire about his treatment," he said.

PTI