Former BJP MLA complains of being ignored, sidelined

Making her intention clear of not leaving BJP, Medha Kulkarni said that many workers who have been performing duties well for decades are being neglected by the party

Pune: With the Lok Sabha elections around the corner, it seems all is not well in the Pune unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The senior leader said that she was forced to air her disappointment in public as her concerns at the many BJP meets were not addressed. (HT PHOTO)

Medha Kulkarni, BJP’s National Mahila Morcha vice-president and former MLA, criticised his party’s city unit for intentionally keeping her out from political functions.

Kulkarni, who also posted her views on social media, said, “The multilevel flyover project at Kothrud was started when I was the area’s MLA, yet I am not on the invitee list when the flyover at Chandani Chowk will be inaugurated by Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday.”

Making her intention clear of not leaving BJP, the leader said that many workers who have been performing duties well for decades are being neglected by the party.

“The BJP carried my photo on publicity content displayed at the city level, but pamphlets released for Kothrud assembly polls had photographs of leaders except me. Despite being the party’s office-bearer at the national level, I was not invited to the functions when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the city recently. The party also ignored me during the Kasba bye-elections,” she said.

The senior leader said that she was forced to air her disappointment in public as her concerns at the many BJP meets were not addressed. “I have many proofs to show my role in the Chandani Chowk flyover project,” she said.

Dheeraj Ghate, president, BJP city unit, said, “We will speak with Medha Kulkarni. I too heard that her photos were not used for Kothrud assembly campaign and will ask the team concerned. We will sort out the issues within the party.”

The revelations of Kulkarni who represents the party known for discipline and not sharing views at public forum have come as a shock for some BJP workers.

Some party workers on condition of anonymity said, “It is true that the BJP is giving preference to outsiders than party workers.”