With Nitin Gadkari’s sudden exit as the BJP’s nationalpresident, senior party leader Gopinath Munde has gained an upper hand in theparty matters in Maharashtra, where he is not only expected to have his way inthe forthcoming organisational elections but will also lead the party in the2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Munde is the Deputy Leader of BJP in LokSabha -- and after the death of his Pramod Mahajan, he was virtually sidelinedin Maharashtra affairs of the party and sent to Lok Sabha.
Gadkari’s unexpected exit from his post has brought cheersto the Munde camp, which was feeling somewhat side-lined within the partyduring the last three years “ a periodthat saw the senior party leader from Marathwada at one stage expressing hisdispleasure over his isolation in the party.
Munde is a former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtraduring the Shiv Sena-BJP saffron alliance regime from 1995-99, where Gadkarihas served in the ministry holding the Public Works department portfolio.
Being seen as the biggest beneficiary from Gadkari’sresignation from the BJP’s top post, Munde readied himself to make the most ofthe emerging situation “ especially in the run-up to the party’s organizationalelections due in the state in the coming weeks.
Informed party sources say that in the changed scenario, thecurrent State BJP president Sudhir Mungantiwar, a staunch supporter of Gadkari,does not stand a chance of seeking re-election to the post. Mungantiwar hailsfrom Chandrapur in Vidarbha region, the same region from where Gadkarihails.
According to sources, the current leader of the Oppositionin the State Assembly Eknath Khadse “ a confidant of Munde “ is a strongcontender for the State BJP chief’s post.
Khadse is understood have shown readiness to quit his postas the leader of the Opposition to take up the responsibility as the stateparty chief in the run-up to the 2014 LS and Assembly polls inMaharashtra.
“Though it is premature to talk about the change in thestate party leadership, Khadse stands excellent chance of succeedingMungantiwar in the post. Given that Munde will be leading the BJP in the 2014polls in the state, Khadse will be more than happy to work in tandem withMunde,” BJP sources said.
In the event of Khadse taking up the party post in thestate, senior BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis is being tipped to take over as the newleader of the Opposition in the State Assembly. Apart from being an activelegislator, Fadnavis has been forefront of exposing the scams “ including themuch-discussed irrigation scam “ involving the Congress-led DF government inthe state.
