Gopinath Munde united OBCs, but ensured others aren’t sidelined: Fadnavis

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, he said, “Today’s politicians should learn from Munde. While he brought OBCs together, he also ensured that no other section was sidelined. He became the leader of all communities.”

Fadnavis mentioned that  Munde became the Maharashtra BJP president when he was just 35 years.

Terming him a mass leader, Fadnavis said, “Munde’s stature was such that people rallied around him with unwavering commitment. It did not matter whether he was in power or not.”

Fadnavis also recalled that Munde as the leader of opposition “rocked the state legislative Assembly”.

“He took on the ruling parties fearlessly. And many in those days would spend sleepless nights fearing what he would expose about the government. Yet, Munde never crossed the limits. His personal equations with everybody across party lines were cordial,” Fadnavis said.

“I had closely seen and worked with Munde. Being much younger in the legislative Assembly, he would often assign me work. I learnt by watching Munde’s strategy and strokes and style of speech on the floor of the House,” he added.

When the first Shiv Sena-BJP government came to power in 1995, Munde became the home minister and introduced the stringent MCOCA to curb crimes.

Munde was appointed as the Rural Development Minister by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he assumed office in 2014.

However, Munde  died in a road accident in the early hours of June 3, 2014.

Fadnavis said, “In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Munde had given the slogan ‘Narendra at Centre, Devendra in Maharashtra’. But I had then said, ‘We were just lending Munde to the Centre for six months. After the Assembly polls, Munde would return to Maharashtra as CM’. But our wish remained unfulfilled.”

The chief minister promised that  Munde’s dream of development in his drought-hit Marathwada region will be accomplished by the Mahayuti government.

“The government will divert 54 housand million cubic feet (TMC) of water that goes into the sea to the parched Marathwada region,”, he said.

“Munde’s dream of bringing railways to his home district Beed will be fulfilled. The coach factory in Latur will generate employment for 10,000 people once the production starts next year,” the chief minister added.

Munde’s daughter and cabinet minister Pankaja Munde, PWD minister Shivendraraje Bhosale, former NCP minister Dhananjay Munde were present at the event.