Munde suspense may end today - Times of India

NAGPUR: The suspense over veteran leader Gopinath Munde is most likely to end on Wednesday in New Delhi where the scene of the high political drama shifted on Tuesday evening. Mixed signals emanated from Mumbai with at least one top BJP leader indicating that chances of Munde staying back were 50-50. But a middle-level party functionary said: "We are expecting some good news from Delhi tomorrow."

A top BJP state leader told TOI after the day-long slow-moving developments that Munde had very cordial talks with state party chief Sudhir Mungantiwar and leader of the opposition Eknath Khadse. The two leaders met after a brief meeting of the party MLAs, MLCs and MPs held at Nariman Point in Mumbai on Tuesday morning. The official meeting itself turned out to be damp squib and lasted barely 10 minutes. "All that Khadse and Mungantiwar could offer was exhortations that media was painting a wrong picture of the crisis. And that the partymen should not depend on the media reports and wait for word from official channels," said a MLA from the city who attended the meeting.

Khadse and Mungantiwar also expressed confidence that Munde would not part ways with the BJP. "Our meeting with Munde went off very well and there was no tension at all," Mungantiwar told TOI.

Majority of partymen believe Munde's fresh round of bickering and rebellion was nothing but arm twisting tactic hoping that the leadership would give in to his demands, the most important being having say in all things concerning party affairs in Maharashtra. Admitting that there was despondency in the party circles after Munde's open revolt against party leadership, a MLA said: "Obviously, if a senior leader of Munde's stature, a leader with mass base and presence across the state is unhappy, it would definitely send negative vibes down the party ranks. But then, there is no panic as such. As there is a perception that Munde would hardly make any political gains for self by joining the Congress or any other party."

"You never know. If he decides to quit the party, all we can say is 'vinash kale vipareet buddhi' (one tends to take a wrong course when doom is fated)," said Mungantiwar. He admitted to hearing reports that Munde was hobnobbing with top Congress leadership. Party sources said Munde's frustration was peaking with party in the state-level performing well in last year without much of his say in decision making. And that many of the BJP events where he was not present were a big draw. "Naturally he is feeling insecure of his position in the party," the source added.

Moreover, the immediate reason Munde would desist from making a hasty exit from the BJP and joining the Congress is that his home turf of Beed Lok Sabha constituency will not be available as it is in NCP quota and he would have to look for a new seat. The Rajya Sabha route on seat vacated by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is also risky as Congressmen unhappy over his entry in the party may engineer his defeat. "That would leave him no where. The way Narayan Rane was treated after he shifted from the Shiv Sena to the Congress is also not inspiring," the source added.