Not upset over not being nominated: Munde on Council polls

Mumbai: BJP leader Pankaja Munde has said that she was not upset over not being nominated by the party for the upcoming Legislative Council election.

In a tweet, Munde asked her supporters not to get demoralised.

“We both are there for each other and have the blessings of saheb (father Gopinath Munde),” she said.

The former BJP minister, who lost the Parli seat in last year’s assembly polls to her cousin and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, said she was not upset over not being given a ticket for the May 21 biennial elections.

“You called up my mother and sister (Beed MP Pritam Munde) to express your dismay. I did not take calls because I had nothing to say. I am not upset. My best wishes to the four party candidates,” she said.

A party source said that senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse, who was keen on representing the party in the Council, is upset over not being considered.

The BJP has fielded former NCP MP Ranjitsinh Mohite, lesser-known faces like Gopichand Padalkar, Praveen Datke and Ajit Gopchhade for Council polls. The four candidates filed their nominations on Friday.

The Council election is being held for nine seats, for which the electoral college is the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

The election assumes importance as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be among the candidates from the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).