Mumbai: BJP leader and Maharashtra’s Environment Minister Pankaja Munde recently made a statement suggesting that a party could be formed solely by those who love and support her late father, Gopinath Munde. In response, senior Ajit Pawar faction leader Chhagan Bhujbal disclosed that Gopinath Munde had once offered him the idea of launching a separate political party.
Bhujbal shared that Munde had personally approached him with the proposal. "Gopinath Munde once told me, ‘Bhujbal Saheb, let’s form a new party.’ He suggested that I, along with Ganpatrao Deshmukh, Ramdas Athawale and a few others, could come together for this initiative. We even discussed this not once but twice, and I had agreed. However, I don’t know what happened afterward, but he eventually dropped the idea," Bhujbal revealed, as reported by Saamana.
Pankaja Munde’s Statement
Pankaja Munde highlighted the immense following her father had, stating that if all his supporters were united, they could form a political party of their own. "Those who love Gopinath Munde have always been with me as his daughter. People admire leaders for their qualities and my father had built the BJP from its early days. His followers remain loyal to his vision," she said.
The Viability of a Caste-Based Party
Bhujbal also raised questions about the practicality of forming a party based on a single community’s support. "Anyone can start a new party, and as Pankaja Munde pointed out, it could be a large one. However, the real challenge is achieving electoral success with such a party. I don’t know how effective it would be, regardless of the community it represents. Maybe she has done her research, but I don’t think she will actually go ahead with forming a new party," he remarked.
Despite speculations, Bhujbal acknowledged that Gopinath Munde had a massive support base and Pankaja Munde’s statement reflects the continued influence of his legacy in Maharashtra politics. However, whether this translates into a new political movement remains uncertain.
