Gadkari-Munde meeting unlikely at party workshop

Apart from Gadkari and Munde,BJP state president Sudhir Mungantiwar,Leader of the Opposition Eknath Khadse,MLC and party general secretary Vinod Tawade and former union Minister Ram Naik are expected to address the camp on issues like fulfilling the public commitments of the BJP,ways to improve performance,use of legislative provisions and time management.

A senior BJP leader claimed that though Munde — an OBC leader and Lok Sabha MP from Beed — and Gadkari were not likely to meet at the camp,this was because the two were scheduled to attend it on separate days.

Munde had once enjoyed a near total control over the affairs of the state party unit and is seen as the party’s only mass leader in the state. He is said to be at odds with a camp led by Gadkari and Tawade over control of the party’s organisational affairs,with the latest flashpoint coming over his nominee not being considered for the Pune BJP chief post. After Munde indicated his displeasure and unfurled the banner of revolt while allegedly flirting with the Congress,the BJP leadership had swung into action to placate him.

However,a meeting between Munde and Gadkari to iron out differences did not take place after the Gadkari camp reportedly took umbrage at Munde’s public statements,though BJP leaders claim that the two leaders had met on the sidelines of a marriage ceremony at Raipur in Chhattisgarh.

A BJP leader admitted that though most issues raised by Munde were addressed,he could still be disgruntled over Vikas Mathkari — a Gadkari-Tawade loyalist who was appointed the Pune BJP president overriding the claims of Munde’s supporter Yogesh Gogawale — not being asked to quit the post.

A legislator close to Munde said it would not be possible for Munde to stay over at the party workshop for the concluding ceremony to meet Gadkari owing to work preoccupations.