Gopinath Munde’s daughter performs his last rites

Tens of thousands of mourning supporters and distraught family members today (June 4) bid a tearful farewell to Gopinath Munde, Maharashtra BJP's tallest mass leader and architect of its impressive victory in Lok Sabha elections, who was killed in a car crash in Delhi yesterday. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Roars of "Gopinath Munde amar rahe" and "Munde Saheb parat ya (Munde Sir, come again)" went up as daughter Pankaja lit the funeral pyre standing amidst a sea of humanity at the departed leader's home town in the backward Marathwada region. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Grief, however, gave way to anger as the milling crowd, that had gathered under the blazing sun, became restless to have a closer glimpse of their beloved leader. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

The cremation ground soon turned into a battleground with Munde's supporters hurling stones at a large police contingent who retaliated with a cane charge. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Pankaja, who till then was seen acknowledging the condolences while standing atop a platform with her father's mortal remains, had to take charge of the proceedings. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

The BJP veteran is survived by his wife Pradnya and three daughters including Pankaja, BJP MLA from Parli and heir to his political legacy. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Pankaja lighting her father's funeral pyre marked a departure from the Hindu tradition of a male member of the family doing duty and signalled her taking over the leader's political mantle. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Pankaja lights her father's funeral pyre. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

The body of BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who died in a road accident in Delhi, reached Mumbai on June 3. (Source: Express photo by Pradip Das)

The special plane carrying the body, accompanied by Munde's relatives and party members, landed at the domestic airport here. The body was taken to `Poorna' building in Worli, Munde's residence. (Source: Express photo by Pradip Das)

Munde's body was flown to Latur in central Maharashtra on Wednesday (June 4) morning. From Latur, the body will be taken to Parali in Beed district (Munde's Lok Sabha constituency), around 70 km from Latur. (Source: Express photo by Pradip Das)

Munde's nephew Rahul Mahajan paid his final respects with his sister Poonam. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray seen here with his son Aditya at Munde's residence to pay respects. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

BJP MP Hema Malini, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, and NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Praful Patel also visited Munde's residence. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Vivek Oberoi at Munde's residence. He had earlier tweeted, “Deeply saddened to hear of the untimely demise of the stalwart of maharashtra Gopinath Munde.My prayers & condolences to Pankaja &the family.” (Source: Express photo by Pradip Das)

AAP leader and activist Medha Patkar was also seen at Munde's residence. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

The funeral is set to take place in the premises of a sugar factory founded by Munde near Parali today. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)