Munde absent in BJP meeting

A crucial meeting of BJP MPs, MLAs, MLCs and office-bearers, convened by Maharashtra unit chief Sudhir Mungantiwar in the backdrop of sulking leader Gopinath Munde's "rebellion," got underway in Mumbai today.

A crucial meeting of BJP MPs, MLAs, MLCs and office-bearers, convened by Maharashtra unit chief Sudhir Mungantiwar in the backdrop of sulking leader Gopinath Munde's "rebellion," got underway in Mumbai on Tuesday.

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The meeting follows speculation that after failing to get his demands fulfilled by party leadership, Munde is on his way to join the Congress.

Munde is reportedly disgruntled after BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, once his junior in state unit, spurned the former's demands to make him the opposition leader in the state assembly and to make supporter Pandurang Phundkar the state BJP president in place of Mungantiwar.

Munde himself has so far not made an appearance at the meeting.

There were reports that during his three-day stay in Delhi, Munde, a prominent OBC leader of the state, established contact with Congress in-charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash. However, Prakash has denied meeting Munde.

A leading Marathi TV channel on Monday night aired what it claimed was an exclusive report saying Munde will be offered a Central ministerial berth by Congress if he joins it.

Munde and other BJP members refused to comment on the report.